Last updated: September 27, 2023
Lesson Plan
Exploring Seasonal Changes with Phenology
- Grade Level:
- Middle School: Sixth Grade through Eighth Grade
- Subject:
- Science
- Lesson Duration:
- 60 Minutes
- State Standards:
- Minnesota Standards:
2E.4.2.1.2
3L.1.2.1.2
3E.2.2.1.1
3L.3.1.1.2
3L.4.1.1.1
5P.3.1.1.2
5L.4.1.2.1
6E.1.1.1.3
6E.1.2.1.1
6E.4.2.2.1
7L.2.1.1.1
7L.2.1.1.2
7L.4.1.2.1
7L.4.1.2.2
Essential Question
What is Phenology? What can we observe about seasonal changes?
Objective
1. Understand what climate change is.
2. Understand how climate change conditions impact phenology
Background
Phenology is study of recurring plant and animal life cycle events, or phenophases, such as leafing and flowering, maturation of agricultural plants, emergence of insects, and migration of birds. Essentially, it is the study of nature’s calendar.
Phenology observes the relationship between:
1) discrete phenological events,
2) events and the season,
3) events and local weather conditions, and
4) events and climatic changes.
Changes in phenological events like flowering is among the most sensitive biological responses to climate change. Across the world, many spring events are occurring earlier—and fall events are happening later—than they did in the past. However, not all species are changing at the same rate.
The timing of phenological events is important for:
• health (allergens and infectious diseases)
• recreation (wildflower displays and fall colors)
• agriculture (planting and harvest times, pest control)
• management of natural resources (water and timber)
• understanding hazards (monitoring and prediction of drought and fire risk)
• conservation (abundance and diversity of plants and animals)
Preparation
- Gather supplies
- Designate an area to take students for a walk/ hike
Materials
Procedure
Phenology or Not Phenology Game:
Designate two zones: “Phenology” and “Not Phenology.”Ask students the following examples and after each example, students should move to the zone that they think best fits the example. Go over the correct answer after each example.Examples:
1. When the Aspen trees are in full bloom. Example
2. First mosquito activity of the year recorded. Example
3. How many rocks are at the bottom of Rainy Lake. Not an example
4. Latest bloom of the wildflower, lady’s slippers. Example
5. How many times you go fishing in the month of June. Not an example
6. When the moose start to rut. Example
7. Date of when there are no more leaves on the Aspen trees at my work. Example
8. The number of days that you can see the cliffs on Rainy Lake. Not an example
9. The emergence of the bears from hibernation in late March. Example
10. Last monarch butterfly seen for the season. Example
11. The number of tacos I ate last Tuesday. Not an example.
12. Breeding season of the loons. Example
13. The date your favorite singer releases a new album Not an example
14. The time that school starts. Not an example
15. When the visitor centers close and the ski trails open. Not an example (This is not phenology, but rather how humans adapt to phenological changes).Afterwards, students can take turns coming up with their own examples of Phenology or Nor Phenology.Ask: Why do we look at phenology? How does it help us?Talk about agriculture and the inter-relatedness of species. Plants need pollinators to pollinate them, what if the pollinators start coming out at a different time and they don’t overlap with the plant that relies on them to be pollinated? How could this affect our agriculture? What might we need to do?
Observational Hike or Walk
Have students go on a guided walk or hike and record their observations of phenological changes (examples: changing of leaves, blooming flowers, increase or decrease of insects). After the hike, have students share their observations. Discuss how climate change may affect these phenological changes that they’ve observed.Create a Phenologcial Wheel
A Phenological Wheel is a circular diagram that depicts the seasonal changes within a calendar year. A Phenological Wheel can be divided into 12 months or 4 seasons. Students can illustrate how the landscape changes over the course of the year.Vocabulary
Phenology: study of recurring plant and animal life cycle events
Climate: Long-term weather pattern for a region
Additional Resources
Bureau of Land Management has printable Phenology Wheels under the Forest Investigation tab
Campbell Creek Science Center - Nature Learning Activities | Bureau of Land Management (blm.gov)
Minnesota Phenology Network
https://mnpn.usanpn.org/home
USA National Phenology Network
https://www.usanpn.org/about/why-phenology
Nature’s Calendar from Minnesota Conservation Volunteer
phenology.pdf (state.mn.us)
Related Lessons or Education Materials
This lesson has been adapted from a field trip lesson from Glacier National Park.