Signs of the Seasons (Phenology)
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Please report your observations!
Observe the natural world closely. Make drawings and record
data. Look for patterns of seasonal change. Then report observations from your part of the world! |
What is Phenology?
Phenology is the study of the seasonal timing of life cycle events.
You are studying phenology when you record the date a certain plant
flowers, a tree's leaves emerge, an insect hatches, or a migratory
bird appears on its nesting grounds. The dates on which these happen
each year are affected by factors such as daylength, temperature,
and rainfall.
Why
Are These Observations Important?
Your observations become part of a permanent
database. Scientists can use to monitor how living things are
responding to changes in our climate. By studying the timing of
seasonal changes, students think like scientists who look for clues
about how climate and other factors affect living things.
News:
Signs of the Seasons (phenology)
observation updates posted the first of each month.
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Ways
to Record Seasonal Observations |
Write
or Draw
in a Journal.
(Click journal photos for links) |
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Record
Observations
on a handout or checklist. |
Watching
the Seasons Change
(grades 1-4)
Spring / Fall
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Things
to Look For |
At least once
each month, go outside as a class and record the changes you see.
Use journals, checklists, or both. Try to begin on the Fall
Equinox in September or as close as you can. (You can also start
in January.) Go outside one month later and see how things have
changed. Journey North will send a monthly e-mail reminder. Check
the Signs of the Seasons News
page for links to monthly reminders and activities.
Each season, changing sunlight triggers changes in food chains —
from sunlight to plants to animals.
FALL:
Watch what happens as sunlight decreases and temperatures drop in
the fall. Plants die or go dormant, so food is less available to animals. Some
migrate, some hibernate, and others rely on physical adaptations.
SPRING: Watch how the
food chain rebuilds in the spring as the season progresses. Energy
from the sun increases, temperatures rise, ice melts, and plant growth
begins. The animals that eat plants appear first, followed by their
predators — and so on up the food chain. |
What
You Can Do With Your Observations |
Report
them to Journey North.
- Click
on the word "Sightings"
on any navigation bar. Notice
which specific events we collect data about. Report your other
observations as "Signs of Fall" or "Other Signs
of Spring."
- If
you have a photo or drawing that captures what
you observed, be sure to mention it it in your report. We might
ask you to submit it so we can share it with other Journey North
students!
Read
about what others have observed this season.
Exchange
data with a partner
classroom.
Are
the seasons changing in the same way throughout North America? Find
out by pairing up with a partner class and exchanging fall or spring
observation data! Can you figure out where your partner is located?
Compare
your own historic observation records.
Your Journey North reports are stored permanently
in our database. What patterns do you notice from year to year?
Create
a display or seasonal timeline.
Encourage other classes in your school to help track various seasonal
events. Then make a display that tells the story of spring or fall's
journey through your hometown — and across the hemisphere.
(Click on photo, right.)
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Important
Questions to Ask |
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What signs tell us that fall (or spring) is approaching?
(You may want to add these to the Journey North list, or create
your own.)
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What sounds, smells, colors, and feelings accompany these
changes?
Throughout
the season — and from year to year.
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Other
Lesson Links: Exploring the Seasons |
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