Climate Change Lesson 9 : Plant and Animal Phenology

1. Going Outdoors with Phenology. This lesson, found on the MEECS Climate Change Resource DVD allows students to explore phenology through the creation of a phenology wheel and journal. Teachers are encouraged to keep records of data for several years to enable future students to analyze changes. Individual students may choose to continue this activity at home in the future.

2. Do students remember natural events happening later or earlier than they do now? Do they believe the climate is changing based on their own or their family’s observations of the natural world? If any students have lived or visited elsewhere, you can discuss regional differences, e.g. between upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan, closer or further from one of the Great Lakes, in different parts of the country, etc.

3. Have students watch a brief Climate Wisconsin video clip on climate change impacts on farming at http://climatewisconsin.org/story/farming.

4. Assign individual chapters from Aldo Leopold’s Sand County Almanac as a class or take home reading.

5. Readings and movie clips about honey bees are found on the MEECS Climate Change Resource DVD.

6. Videos about climate and the tart cherry industry in Michigan are found at the Michigan State University Pileus Project website at http://www.pileus.msu.edu