As a high school or undergraduate Biological Sciences teacher, you can use this set of computer-based tools to help you in teaching the phenology of plants, and phenological events in plants such as leaf-out.
This lesson plan allows students to understand phenology and phenological events in plants and animals. Further, the activities help students to determine the possible relationship between climate and phenological events such as leaf-out in plants. The exercises stimulate thinking about the possible impact of climate change on these periodic life-cycle events.
Thus, the use of this lesson plan allows you to integrate the teaching of a climate science topic with a core topic in the Biological Sciences.
The tools in this lesson plan will enable students to:
| Grade Level | High School, Undergraduate |
| Discipline | Biological Sciences |
| Topic(s) in Discipline | Botany, Phenology, Biodiversity, Phenology in Plants, Phenological Events in Plants, Life-cycle Events in Plants, Leaf-out in Plants |
| Climate Topic | Climate and the Biosphere |
| Location | Global, United States |
| Language(s) | English |
| Access | Online / offline |
| Approximate Time Required | 100-110 mins |
| Share | |
| Resource Download |
Here is a step-by-step guide to using this lesson plan in the classroom/laboratory. We have suggested these steps as a possible plan of action. You may customize the lesson plan according to your preferences and requirements.
Reading (30 – 40 min)
Classroom/Laboratory Activity (~60 min)
Explore the topic further by conducting a hands-on activity, “The Timing of Red Maple Leaf-out”, from Signs of the Seasons: A New England Phenology Program, the University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
In this activity, students will create and analyze graphs by using data for the timing of red maple leaf-out in New England. They will discuss the potential role of environmental factors such as climate change on leaf out.
Use this lesson plan to help your students find answers to:
| 1 | Classroom/Laboratory Activity | Several resources for classroom/laboratory activities “Signs of the Seasons: A New England Phenology Program”, from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension:
This can be accessed here. |
| 2 | Visualization | Visualization tool from USA National Phenology Network:
This can be accessed here |
| 1 | Reading, “What is Phenology?” | Budburst, a project of Chicago Botanic Garden |
| 2 | Classroom/Laboratory Activity, “The Timing of Red Maple Leaf-out” | Elissa Koskela (University of Maine Cooperative Extension) and Dr. Molly Schauffler (University of Maine Climate Change Institute and RiSE Center); Signs of the Seasons: A New England Phenology Program, University of Maine Cooperative Extension |
| 3 | Additional Resources | Signs of the Seasons: A New England Phenology Program, |
| Grade Level | High school, Undergraduate |
| Discipline | Biological Sciences |
| Topic(s) in Discipline | Phenology in Plants, Phenological Events in Plants, Life-cycle Events in Plants, Leaf-out in Plants |
| Climate Topic | Climate and the Biosphere |
| Location | Global, USA |
| Language(s) | English |
| Access | Online / offline |
| Approximate Time Required | 100-110 mins |
| Share | |
| Resource Download |
Here is a step-by-step guide to using this lesson plan in the classroom/laboratory. We have suggested these steps as a possible plan of action. You may customize the lesson plan according to your preferences and requirements.
Reading (30 – 40 min)
Classroom/Laboratory Activity (~60 min)
Explore the topic further by conducting a hands-on activity, “The Timing of Red Maple Leaf-out”, from Signs of the Seasons: A New England Phenology Program, the University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
In this activity, students will create and analyze graphs by using data for the timing of red maple leaf-out in New England. They will discuss the potential role of environmental factors such as climate change on leaf out.
Suggested questions/assignments for learning evaluation
Use the tools and the concepts learned so far to discuss and determine answers to the following questions:
Use this lesson plan to help your students find answers to:
| 1 | Classroom/ Laboratory Activity | Several resources for classroom/laboratory activities “Signs of the Seasons: A New England Phenology Program”, from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension:
This can be accessed here. |
| 2 | Visualization | Visualization tool from USA National Phenology Network:
This can be accessed here |
| 1 | Reading, “About Phenology” | Budburst, a project of Chicago Botanic Garden |
| 2 | Classroom/Laboratory Activity, “The Timing of Red Maple Leaf-out” | Elissa Koskela (University of Maine Cooperative Extension) and Dr. Molly Schauffler (University of Maine Climate Change Institute and RiSE Center); Signs of the Seasons: A New England Phenology Program, University of Maine Cooperative Extension |
| 3 | Additional Resources | Signs of the Seasons: A New England Phenology Program, |
