You may know that sunlight makes plants grow, that hummingbirds eat nectar and insects, or that snow melts in the spring. But have you thought about the cause-and-effect relationships that drive these events each spring? Have you grasped the fact that these changes are all triggered by longer hours of more intense sunlight? Begin creating “cause and effect” chains early in the season, and revisit, or create new chains as the season progresses.

A simple ecosystem is show below. Prompt students to think about ways in which “links” in the chain interact to form webs.