Lay wax paper over the work area. Blow up a latex balloon. Tie a knot in the balloon so the air will not escape.
Pour 1 to 2 cups of baking or pancake mix into a bowl. Mix the baking or pancake mixture with water until tit reaches the constancy of buttermilk. Stir the mixture with a spoon.
Tear one newspaper into 1-by-6-inch strips.
Dip the newspaper strip into the mixture in the bowl. Allow the newspaper to soak up the liquid. Lay the strip on top of the balloon. Dip more strips into the mixture. Lay the strips on the balloon so they overlap the previous strips. Completely cover the balloon with paper strips. Cover the first layer of strips on the balloon with a second layer of newspaper strips.
Set the balloon on the wax paper. Dry the balloon for one to two days. Turn the balloon to the other side once a day so each side dries evenly.
Touch the newspaper strips to see if they are dry. Allow the strips to dry if they are still damp. Pop the balloon with a straight pin when the strips are dry.
Spray paint the hive with a flat gray spray paint. Paint the hive in a well-ventilated area. Wear a dusk mask, goggles and latex gloves. Allow the painted hive to dry.
Glue the top of the hive to a tree branch with craft glue. Allow the glue to dry. Hang the hive in the class room. Attach a piece of 6 to 12-inch string to each side of the branch. Tie a knot in each piece of string to create two loops. Slide a loop over each end of the branch. Measure the distance between the two loops. Use a pencil to mark the wall where you will hang the hive with two dots that are the same distance apart as the two loops. Stick two thumb tacks into those dots on the wall. Hang the hive by sliding the loops over the tacks.