A very special lesson as part of the "Honeybee" series of lessons awaited the pupils of classes 4b, 4c and 4e on Tuesday, 24.03.2026: A beekeeper was a guest and transformed the classroom into a small honey workshop. Ms. Niehues not only had exciting knowledge about bees and honey in her luggage, but also illustrative materials and even real honey to taste.
She began by explaining how honey is made in the first place. The children learned how bees diligently collect nectar, take it to the beehive and process it into honey. It quickly became clear that there is a lot of work behind a jar of honey - both for the bees and for the beekeepers.
The insight into the annual routine of a beekeeper was particularly exciting. The pupils learned what tasks are involved in spring, summer, fall and winter. From checking the beehives to extracting the honey and preparing the bees for the winter.
The practical demonstration was a real highlight: the children were able to observe how a honey extractor works and how the honey is extracted from the combs. The soldering of a frame was also demonstrated and tried out for themselves. The structure of a beehive was also explained and generated many curious questions.
Another important topic was how to deal with the Varroa mite, a dangerous parasite for bees. Ms. Niehues explained why this mite is so problematic and how beekeepers can protect their bee colonies from it.
At the end, there was also a tasting session: During a small honey tasting, the children were able to taste different types of honey, discover the differences in taste and, of course, choose the most delicious honey.
After the visit, everyone agreed that the morning was not only informative, but also really exciting. The children learned a lot about working with bees - and perhaps one or two of them even became interested in beekeeping.
We would like to thank Ms. Niehues for these exciting insights!