Find an abandoned beehive. Before picking it up, tap it a few times to make sure all the bees have really left. Let the children examine the beehive while you give them facts about the honeycombs. After each child has had a chance to hold it, cut the beehive in half so the children can see the interior view. Point out honeycombs and explain more about their function.
Sit the class in a straight line. Ask the children what they hear if a beehive is nearby. Explain that all the buzzing is the bees talking to each other. To illustrate this, ask the first child in line a question. Once they answer, that child turns to the next to ask the same question. Continue this for 10 to 15 minutes, continuously giving the first child new questions to ask. The room will get loud -- just like a beehive.
Dip strips of newspaper into a mixture of glue and water. Mold these strips around an inflated balloon. With the balloon sitting in a shallow bowl, cover it with one layer of paper mache and then let dry. After applying a second layer, carefully pop the balloon and pull it out from the bottom. Cover the beehive with white tissue paper to make it look like a hive. Fill it with candy or have your kids all decorate their own bees to place on the hive.
Coat cotton balls with easily identifiable scents such as lemon juice and vinegar. Do each scent in pairs. Have the children pick a cotton ball while explaining how bees use smell to recognize each other. Then let the children smell each other's cotton balls to find their match. If you have fewer children, just have them identify the scents.