Family Story Walk: Betty the Bee

The Story of Betty the Bee

From July 15, 2021 through July 29, 2021, join us in a self-guided Story Walk, featuring the book The Story of Betty the Bee.

Written by San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society staff, the book features a bee named Betty and her life at Don Edwards SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

For a more interactive experience, walk along a special Story Walk trail at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Alviso. You will come across a series of numbered stops at some of which, you will have the opportunity to read the story with your family and complete additional activities.

Download the activity packet below. Activities are indicated at specific stops along the Story Walk. Use this activity packet to complete the 5 activities along your journey.

Folded activity booklet

⮇ Click here to download and print the folded activity booklet (PDF 9 MB) ⮇

Print the booklet double-sided. When the printer prompts you to flip the pages, choose the option to flip on the short-edge. Keep the pages in order as they appears on your screen and fold along the black line. Staple the pages together or tie a string around the center fold.

Full page activity booklet

⮇ Click here to download and print the full page activity booklet (PDF 12 MB) ⮇

⮇ Click here to download and print the full page activity booklet (PDF 12 MB) ⮇

Print with document with a single page for each activity. You will also find it easier to view it on your phone.

Arriving at the trailhead

The Betty the Bee Story Walk trail can be found near the Environmental Education Center at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge whose address is 1751 Grand Blvd, Alviso, CA 95002.

From I-880 or Highway 101, exit on Highway 237 toward Alviso. Turn north onto Zanker Road. Continue on Zanker Road and take a sharp right turn at Grand Blvd to the Environmental Education Center (EEC) entrance road. Park in the main parking lot.

The first stop on the Betty the Bee Story Walk is at the entrance to the EEC from the parking lot (GPS coordinates 37.43936, -122.95983).

The Betty the Bee Story Walk trail then goes around the Butterfly Garden and the EEC building.


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Numbered stops on the  trail at SF Bay NWR Complex in Alviso for the self-guided Story Walk Betty the Bee.

Numbered stops on the trail at SF Bay NWR Complex in Alviso for the self-guided Story Walk Betty the Bee.

Share your observations

We hope that you will have fun learning about bees, pollinators, local habitats, and ways that you can contribute to making the environment a safer and healthier place for all.

Let us know what you observed during your Story Walk. Share your stories and photos by emailing us at summercamp@sfbayws.org.

About pollinators

Pollinators visit flowers to drink nectar or feed off of pollen and transport pollen grains as they move from spot to spot. Birds, bats, butterflies, moths, flies, beetles, wasps, small mammals, and most importantly, bees are pollinators.

Pollinators play a crucial role in flowering plant reproduction and in the production of most fruits and vegetables. Without the assistance of pollinators, most plants cannot produce fruits and seeds. The fruits and seeds of flowering plants are an important food source for people and wildlife.

Thanks

This activity is brought to you by the Summer Programs Education Team and funded by a grant from Cargill, Inc. Cargill has been a partner with the San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society for about 3 years, allowing us to expand our summer program opportunities and reach more local families.

Cargill salt crystallizer beds at Newark. Credit Cris Benton.

Cargill's salt crystallizer beds at Newark, California. Credit Cris Benton.