Explain to students that they are going to be ‘Word Detectives’ in this lesson. Ask students to have a whiteboard and pen ready, and as you turn through the pages of the book write down any words that have the ‘ee’ spelling pattern – bee, teeny, cheered, queen, Groundskeeper, sweet, beeswax, week, tree.
Adjustments
Students can build word families using the ‘ee’ words. Students find words that have the ‘ee’ sound, but use alternate spelling – creature, each, species.
In the second ‘Word Detective’ activity, students are asked to look for powerful/persuasive language that the author uses, e.g. most favourite creatures in the world, the bees would love the most, vital for the pollination of flora, crucial for pollination of crops, native bees thrive when people…
Discuss how the author uses powerful and persuasive words and phrases throughout the text to inform and provide subtle arguments about the importance of bees.
Key questions:
• How many ‘ee’ words can you find?
• What other spelling patterns can we use to write the ‘ee’ sound?
• What are some examples of powerful/persuasive language that the author has used?
• Why do you think the author included this language?
• How does this language make you feel?