About Phenology and Journey North 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. What are these observations important? By studying phenology, students can join scientists and other citizens who look for clues about our changing climate and its impact on living things. As students observe the natural world closely and record data, they begin to see patterns of seasonal change and to note important interrelationships. How to Collect Phenology Observations Students can keep observations, drawings, and checklists in this Signs of Spring journal. Once each month, go outside as a class and record the changes you see. Use the Phenology Checklists below. 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 Phenology News page for links to monthly reminders and activities. Each Phenology Checklist begins with sunlight and progresses up the food chain — 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. Fall Checklists Spring Checklists Watching the Seasons Change (grade 1-4) Watching the Seasons Change (grade 1-4) Fall Phenology Checklist (grade 4+) Spring Phenology Checklist (grade 4+) What to Do with Your Data Report spring observations by clicking on Sightings on any navigation bar. Report fall observations in our Fall Nature Notes. Discover what others have observed this season by going to View All Sightings. How do seasonal changes vary from place to place? Find a partner classroom and compare your phenology data! >> Create a seasonal timeline or display. Encourage other classrooms to help track various seasonal events, and provide a complete picture of spring or fall's journey through your hometown — and across the hemisphere. >> Ask Questions Before looking at Phenology Checklists: 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.) What sounds, smells, colors, and feelings accompany these changes? Throughout the season — and from year to year (as you compare phenology checklists): How does ______ (event or change) seem to relate to _______ (event or change)? What changes can we predict with accuracy (e.g., length of sun's shadow at different times, spring equinox, last day of school)? What factors vary from year to year based on weather (bulbs blooming, ice out, first robin)? How do climate factors — such as long-term temperatures and moisture averages — seem to relate to phenology events? Other Lesson Links: Exploring the Seasons Climate Connections (Journey North Study) Seasonal Sleuths Reasons for Seasons: Exploring the Astronomy of Spring Seeing The Light: Recognizing the Sun's Role in Living Systems This Season Teachers Kids Orientation Registration Search Copyright 1997-2008 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Questions or comments? Contact us.