Phenology in a Changing Climate: Signs of the Seasons

• This article emphasizes the importance of observational data collected by citizen scientists, with a focus on the Signs of the Seasons volunteer program through the University of Maine.
• The article describes phenology, talks about the importance of this information in understanding the effects of climate change in local areas, looks at the data for Maine, and encourages individuals to become citizen scientists to contribute to this effort.
  

Positives

• This article provides a positive action that students can take that will connect them with nature.
• The text features in the article at the top allow for easy navigation throughout.
  

Additional Prerequisites

• Students should be familiar with the terms indicator species, budbreak, and sugaring season.
• Students should have a basic understanding of plant and animal life cycles. 
• Students need access to the Internet to read through the article and access the linked resources.
  

Differentiation

• This article could supplement a classroom discussion on how climate change is impacting global food production. 
• This article could enhance a lesson on how climate change impacts ecosystems and biodiversity.
• This report could be used to create free-response questions about what students can do to fight climate change and reduce human impacts on ecosystems.
• Biology classes can use this article to support lessons about symbiotic relationships, ecosystem functions, biodiversity, or the life cycles of plants.