Bill Thrune - USFWS
Signs of Spring
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Signs of Spring
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Background
Report the Various Signs of Spring From Your
Area to Journey North!
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In addition to the "official" signs of spring tracked through Journey North, each year
we?re surprised by wonderful, spontaneous reports of spring sent from near and distant places. Nebraska students
along the great Central Flyway might announce the arrival of a half million cranes. As shorebirds travel from South
America to the Arctic, students at their stopover point in New Jersey might explain how the full moon and horseshoe
crabs affect their flight. When spring reaches fever pitch, we might hear from frog specialists who go out at night
to count frogs by recording their chorus?and end up with an important measure of environmental quality.
Whether groundhogs or grizzly bears, hummingbirds or whooping cranes, the tiniest insect or the
greatest whale, spring touches everything in its path. Perhaps there's a local story you and your students could
tell.
Which events should you report? Visit the Spring, 1997 "Signs of Spring Everywhere" archives for examples.
(Click on the owl button.) Twice each month, Journey North will post news about various Signs of Spring according
to this schedule:
MONDAYS:
Feb. 2, 16, Mar. 2, 16, 30, Apr. 13, 27, May 11, and 25
Related Activities
Follow Spring's Journey North
Rather than track individual migrations, you may chose to follow the wave of spring itself. The lesson, "Phenology:
Observing Seasonal Changes in Nature" suggests making a time line which extends from February to June, and
on which local and global events are recorded.
Participate in the Spring Phenology Data Exchange
Collect signs of spring and exchange them with another class. Using Nature's clues, can you find your partner?
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