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PHENOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM
Those of us involved in environmental education in the 21st century face a formidable
challenge. Environmental degradation continues even as we try to tell the next generation
how unwise this is. Preaching the wrongs of environmental sins does not work, nor do
environmental scare tactics or blaming the students for the lifestyle enjoyed by their
families. And merely describing environmental problems and possible solutions is a
boring way to teach and to learn. Underlying the difficulty of finding ways to foster
concern for the environment is the fact that the majority of the youth (and their parents)
that we are trying to reach have less interaction with and awareness of the natural world
than any of the previous generations. If perceived at all, nature is seen as some place else
or some where else.
Over my 40 years in teaching, I have seen a dramatic decline in the amount of time
students spend outdoors exploring on their own. Pick up an interesting insect, spider, leaf,
flower or seed pod from your schoolyard and chances are that most of your students (and
many of your colleagues) will be completely unfamiliar with it. “I never saw that before”
or “Does that live here?” they might exclaim. Asking students to name ten animals
frequently leads to a list of domestic animals or those from other parts of the world.
Research from the Aldo Leopold Foundation claims that the average student now can
name more than a 1000 advertisement logos, but can recognize less that ten wild flowers.
Recently, other educators have picked up on this observation and now label it Nature
Deficit Disorder (NDD). Given how little many of our students see or know of the natural
world right outside their window, how can we expect them to care about environmental
problems? Is it reasonable to hope that they will work to protect what they do not see or
know about? I believe that part of our task as environmental educators is to fill this gap in
student’ education and awareness, and to give students a positive healthy view of their
planet, starting with the abundance and variety of nature nearby. For the past 25 years, I
have been teaching a natural science course to seventh graders that seeks to do just that.
The curriculum that I have developed is base on phenology, which is, as Webster
explains, “the study of natural phenomena that recur periodically, such as migration or
blossoming, and their relation to climate and changes in season.” Students learn about
local flora and fauna, track the weather and closely monitor the progression of the
seasons. Through the year, they develop the skill of observation, gain an awareness of
seasonal changes in nearby wildlife and become more attuned to the environment
generally. They come to see that nature is not “somewhere else” or “some other time”,
but a dynamic presence in their daily lives.
This phenology-based natural science course has been very successful and has been
adapted in its entirety or modified by colleagues for use with elementary, middle and
secondary classes. Both students and parents have shared with me how observant they
have become as a result of this class. They report that family outings are now enriched
with comments about local plants and animals; and most remark that they never knew so
much was so close by.
We and our students are living in a world of shrinking natural habitat and diminishing
opportunities for interacting with nature. The phenology-based approach to natural
science can help us counter this trend. By putting students in touch with nature on a daily
basis, by encouraging them to become familiar with local flora and fauna and by teaching
and reinforcing their skills of observation, we can help them build the foundation of a
lifelong appreciation of the richness of the natural world around them. Only then can we
expect young people to care enough about the environment and to make the effort that is
needed to save it.
Design of the course
This phenology natural science course operates around three unique conditions:
1. We do not use a textbook.
2. We regularly use the outdoors as a classroom.
3. We follow the seasons’ phenology as the curriculum for the whole school year
Instead of using my allotted money to buy textbooks, I buy classroom sets of reference
books, mostly the Golden Guides, which students use to research the weekly or biweekly
phenology topics, to verify observations and to identify our finds. Students bring two
notebooks to class. One stays indoors, while the other becomes a field journal in which
students take copious notes and make sketches on our outdoor forays.
We go outdoors on a weekly basis. With the exception of three short bus trips, we make
use of the school campus and nearby property for the entire year. The purpose of the
outdoor walks is to find examples or evidence of the phenology topic that we are
exploring that week. To add spontaneity and curiosity, students are encouraged to look
for other interesting things along the way. Students observe and make notes on the
phenology topic of the walk and some of these unanticipated finds, as well as on weather.
While always rewarding, going outdoors weekly is not without its difficulties. Students
do not always come properly prepared for weather conditions, and their energy levels
outdoors can be taxing to a teacher. For these reasons, it is important to maintain a
semblance of classroom structure. I have found that taking students outdoors regularly
from the beginning of the school year establishes a routine. As in the indoor classroom,
we have a strict code of conduct for how we act toward one another and how we treat
organisms that we find. Knowing what to expect from me and what is expected of them
helps us to build a pleasant working rapport. Most students find that they enjoy the walks
even when the weather is not ideal.
Class Procedure
Regular class procedure revolves around five main components.
1. Weather: Temperatures and precipitation are recorded regularly; each day we plot
the high and low temperatures. Being near Lake Superior, we often find huge
variations in temperature within very short distances. As a result, we obtain the
official weather form a local weather station, but we also check our instruments.
We compare monthly weather statistics to the norm and measure and mark
snowfall totals on a “snow board” on the wall. For students who are
unaccustomed to noticing or remembering the weather from one day to the next,
this constant weather watch fosters an awareness of the newness of each day, of
recurring patterns and of links between weather and wildlife. Recalling the
weather during the past week, students learn to predict what they are likely to find
on our outdoor walks.
2. Months: At the beginning of each month, we list and discuss what will happen in
nature during the coming month, including the timing of the full moon and other
astronomical events such as meteor showers, aurora, comets, planetary sights,
sunrise and sunset times and perihelion and aphelion. We also talk about the
names of the months and try to come up with more meaningful one that reflect
events in the natural world, such as the The Dark Month (December) or The
Thawing Month (April).
3. Fall and Spring Phenology Charts: Each year, the class plots the dates of the last
sightings in fall and the first appearances in the spring of common flora and
fauna. Similar data are kept for such weather events such as freezing, thawing or
snowfall. The phenology charts are extremely valuable in documenting the
change of seasons and the consistency of events from one year to the next. Kept
over a long period of time, such charts can even aid in detecting such long-term
trends as global warming. (See below)
4. Student Discoveries: Students are regularly given time to share their own
findings; either sights (critter news that we share every Monday) or specimen
caught and brought to class for observation. All collected organisms are returned
to where they were found within a day of being caught. (See below)
5. Phenology Topics: I have developed a sequence of 20 phenology topics, each of
which is explored for a week or two, not more. These topics are pertinent to what
is happening in nature at that time of year.
Fall and Spring Phenology Charts: The Last List. Noticing the first sighting of some
phenomena for the year is quite easy and we often remark that something is the “first
time seen this year”. But seeing the last of something is harder to determine. To do this, I
use the “Last List” with my students. Using examples of common critters that either
hibernate, migrate or die for the winter, we record each time that anyone in the class sees
them. The list is begun on October 1 and continues until the end of the year. Common
animals are taken from these four taxa: Mammals, Birds, Herps and Insects.
The Last List
Each of these animals is charted followed by dates when seen; noting the last sight.
Mammals:
1. Chipmunk
2. Bear
3. Woodchuck
4. Bat
Birds:
1. Duck or Goose
2. Heron
3. Robin
4. Warbler
Herps:
1. Frog
2. Snake
3. Turtle
Insects:
1. Grasshopper
2. Cricket
3. Katydid
4. Dragonfly
5. Mosquito
6. Butterfly
7. Moth
8. Bumble Bee
Student Discoveries: Critter News; Over the years, this activity has evolved from just
saying various sights to what we now have. Any critters seen by students are listed on a
white board in the back of the room. Each Monday, we take time to list and discuss our
sightings. We follow a few rules: the critters seen need to be alive, wild, seen recently
and seen within the region (about 50-70 miles in any direction). Students become very
good at making observations and as the year proceeds these sightings become more
numerous. Rare or unusual sights recorded by students or me are discussed. We look up
those that the class is unfamiliar with. Recently, a practicum student from the local
university asked me how I evaluated my class. I have students write reports each week on
the findings of our walks and we take quizzes regularly on the pertinent phenology
topics, but as I said to this student, I think that it is the critter news reported each Monday
that is the greatest evaluator of what we see and learn.
Another way we handle the student discoveries is when a critter is brought in to the
classroom (dead or alive, though I prefer alive), I will ask two student volunteers (I am
never at a loss for volunteers) to describe it to the class. They are not to say what it is, but
the rest of the class is to listen to the description and select the proper book that it may be
pictured in. Once located, they are to tell the describing students what page it is on. Once
we determine what it is, we will discuss the critter in more detail. This is a highly
effective way of getting students to take a close look at features of a critter and they don’t
need to know what it is.
TAKING STUDENTS OUTSIDE
Rules:
1. Be Prepared.
This means having notebook and writing utensil. They are also expected to dress
appropriately for the walk. I suggest talking to the class the day before about what
is needed to take this walk. I keep a supply of old boots, gloves and hats in my
room for those who arrive unprepared.
2. No Running.
This is a safety issue. I teach where snow and ice are commonly on hills. It is hard
to slow down students of the middle school age and I frequently need to repeat
this rule, but it is worth it.
3. Stay Together.
This rule is very important if you want to show something to students. Many
times, what I want to show is on the ground and students need to form a circle
around what we are looking at. Those in the front may need to kneel so everyone
can see.
4. No Talking When the Teacher or Another Student is Addressing the Class.
I find that students will chat as we walk outside and that is okay, but as soon as
the teacher starts to talk, everyone is quiet. Sometimes students will see
something while I am talking and so if they interrupt to point out a discovery,
usually that is fine.
5. No Hurting of Any Critters.
I see this as an ethical issue. I define critters as any living thing and all organisms
that we encounter are to be left as they are. Anytime we catch a critter, we look at
it and release it unharmed.
6. Snow Stays Where it is.
This winter rule refers to the fact that snow, which is a wonderful teaching tool
and I love to see students play in it, but we do not throw or kick it on anyone.
7. Anyone Who Picks a Green Plant Should be Prepared to Eat it.
This spring rule is used to discourage picking of plants at this time when so many
are growing often to bloom later. We will pick and eat some plants as a class.
Ten Tips for Taking Students Outside.
Over my 25 years of taking students outdoors during the school year, I have come
up with a few tips to make these walks very good experiences.
1. Know Your Area.
Get out and explore the site that your plan to take students to. I suggest that
you go outside to sites either on the school campus or nearby. Going further
than a short walk, will make these walks happen less often.
2. Take Students Outdoors From the Start of the School Year.
By taking walks regularly and from the beginning of the year, the students see
this as a normal part of the class. I like to take my first walk with students on
the third day of school.
3. Don’t Tell Students, “We’ll go outside when the weather is nice.”
“Nice days” are usually perceived as being warm and clear. Such days are not
always the best time to take students outside. Cool or cold cloudy days are
great. I will take students out in most all weather except for blizzards, thunder
showers and hard rains.
4. Be Prepared for a Change of Plans.
It is quite common in schools, that we need to change plans. I try to prepare
always for an indoor plan in case the outdoors does not work out.
5. Keep the Walk Structured.
Many students will regard a walk outside as no longer being school. Using a
structured notebook and a purpose of the walk with a follow up later, keeps
them attentive as though this is an important part of the class.
6. Prepare the Students.
Prepare students by talking about the walk the day before. After the walk,
review all the findings and, if appropriate, have students write a report with
labeled drawings. Often it is hard for them to write outdoors and so a good
follow-up is well worth the time.
7. Catching Critters.
Catch and bring back finds so that everyone can have a closer look, but be
sure to release any critters.
8. Learn with Your Students.
Explore and learn along with the students. Don’t be concerned that you do not
know everything that you find. Describe, draw and discover.
9. Names.
Don’t get hung up on names. Let students name discoveries by what they look
like. To pursue an interest, look it up in books to see more information.
10. Overdoing it.
Don’t overdo the walks. Students can get burned out by going out too often or
going too far. I like to go outside once a week and for some topics maybe
twice.
The Outdoor Notebook
We follow a structured format in arranging the material in the outdoor notebook.
Date:
Weather:
What has the weather been like since last walk. We use our weather
calendar for this information.
Sky Conditions
Wind; direction and speed
Temperatue; I use Fahrenheit but I have used both.
Snow Depth; when appropriate, we measure the snow on ground.
Topic:
What we are looking for on our walk; purpose of the walk.
Other:
This has evolved over the years. Anything else that we find that is not
weather or topic. Often these are excellent discoveries and most are
spontaneous.
PHENOLOGY CHARTS
These are fall and spring phenomena that we look for. These work good for us, but are no
means all the happenings that we see. We record the dates of each of the following. I post
the records for the fall and spring seasons for each year. With these results, I also have
posted the phenology of the previous five years. This gives a good comparison.
Fall Phenology
Fall Weather
1. First frost
2. First 20 F
3. First 10 F
4. First 0 F
5. First Below 0 F
6. Last 70 F
7. Last 60 F
8. Last 50 F
9. Ground Frozen
10. Ice on puddles
11. Ice covering of a nearby pond
12. Ice covering of a nearby lake
13. Ice covering a nearby stream
14. First snow flurries
15. First snow of 2 inches
16. First snow of 4 or more inches
17. Last rain
18. Last thunder shower
Fall Plants
1. Peak of mushroom growth
2. Peak of deciduous tree color
3. Peak of tamarack tree color
4. Leaves off trees
5. Last flower still in bloom
Fall Animals
1. First migrating geese
2. Peak of broad-wing hawk migration
3. Peak of bald eagle migration
4. Peak of yellow-rump warbler migration
5. First snowy owl
6. First redpoll
7. Last snake
8. Last frog
9. Last butterfly
10. Last grasshopper
11. Last mosquito
12. Last chipmunk
Spring Phenology
Spring Weather
1. First 50 F
2. First 60 F
3. First 70 F
4. Last below 0 F
5. Last 0 F
6. Last 10 F
7. Last 20 F
8. Last freezing (32 F)
9. Last snowfall
10. Last snow to melt
11. First spring rain
12. First spring thunder shower
13. Ice off a nearby stream
14. Ice off a nearby pond
15. Ice off a nearby lake
Spring Plants
1. Green grass
2. First lawn mowing
3. Leaves on deciduous trees
4. Sap flowing
5. Pussy willows open
6. Silver maples in bloom
7. First Dandelion in bloom
8. First Crocus in bloom
9. First Bloodroot in bloom
10. First Marsh Marigold in bloom
11. First Hepatica in bloom
12. First Wild Plum in bloom
Spring Animals
1. First spring robin
2. First red-winged blackbird
3. First tree swallow
4. First yellow-rumped warbler
5. First killdeer
6. First great blue heron
7. First migrating geese
8. First ruffed grouse drumming
9. First woodcock displaying
10. First bird’s nest with eggs
11. First spring chipmunk
12. First woodchuck
13. First bear
14. First bat
15. First baby rabbit
16. First snake
17. First turtle
18. First frog
19. First frog calling
20. First frog eggs
21. First spring mosquito
22. First butterfly
23. First monarch
24. First dragonfly
25. First bumble bee
26. First jumping spider on wall at school
27. First spider orb web
28. First wood tick
29. First earthworm
30. When the smelt run
PHENOLOGY TOPICS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR
1. Mushrooms and Other Fungi Early September (The Cooling Month)
2. Raptors Mid September
3. Fall Wild Flowers Late September
4. Deciduous Trees Early October (The Leaf-Drop Month)
5. Insects and Spiders Mid October
6. Pond in Fall Late October
7. Small Mammals Early November (Cloudy Freeze-Up Month)
8. Animal Signs Mid November
9. Large Mammals Late November
10. Animal Tracks in Snow Early December (The Dark Month)
11. Winter Birds Mid December
12. Pond in Winter Early-Mid January (The Cold Month)
13. Winter Plants Late Jan.-Early February (The Dry Month)
14. Fishes Early March (The Crusty Snow Month)
15. Sap and Other Early Spring Things Mid-Late March
16. Water Birds Mid April (The Thawing Month)
17. Amphibians and Reptiles Late April
18. Pond in Spring Early May (The Greening Month)
19. Spring Wild Flowers Mid May
20. Spring and Summer Songbirds Late May
PHENOLOGY TOPICS
I teach my students the local flora and fauna through a series of 20 phenology topics. The
topics are what is pertinent to nature at that time of year, but also diverse enough to give
a look at the Fungi, Plants and Animals that live here. I stress local wildlife and
consistently teach of what can be found right in our own neighborhoods.
There may be some variation is some years due to weather conditions, but this scheme of
20 topics through the year is held to regularly. Some years, I will add one or two more
topics depending on scheduling time, but I never delete any of these topics.
Each topic has its own vocabulary terms, diagrams (drawings), list and its own
references.
Mushrooms and Other Fungi Early September.
In most years, the fungi growth is abundant in the late summer. I have found that even in
dry years, we can find mushrooms in the nearby yards and woods. In addition to this,
students often see and find them on their own. Whether they are raking or mowing lawns,
being on the playground or just walking to school, students frequently encounter various
fungi. Through the use of photos (slides) that I have taken of local fungi, we examine the
different types.
Taxonomy of fungi can be very difficult and this is our first topic, so I keep it simple.
Though it is a widely diverse group, we lump the gilled mushroom and use our own
names for some other types. We make our list of fungi where we note characteristics for
each and then we go out in search of them. Many students also bring in fungi that they
find themselves.
Over the years, I have learned some choice locations of fungi growths and each year we
find Amanita, Agaricus, Marasmius, Boletes, Corals, Puffballs, Shelf Fungi and Black
Knot at the same or nearby sites.
I encourage students to get a close look. Picking is not harmful to the fungi since, the
“mushroom” is just the fruiting body. We look at closely, handle and maybe draw, but we
will never consume. Often, we also make spore prints and use them to further identify the
mushrooms.
We also take note of where and how the fungi grows. Usually as a saprophyte, fungi finds
the temperature, moisture and available nutrients to be good at this time of year. We note
the peak of mushroom growth on our phenology chart as well.
Students enjoy this topic and I never have a shortage of fungi in my classroom during the
beginning of the school year. Even though I bring in some, most is collected and brought
in by the students.
Vocabulary terms:
Fungi
Mushroom
Gills
Spores
Drawing:
Typical Gilled Mushroom with these parts
Cap
Gills
Stem (Stalk)
Rhizomes (“Roots”)
Spores
List of Mushsrooms and Other Fungi
1. Gill Mushroom
2. Pore Mushroom (Boletes)
3. Tooth Mushroom
4. Sponge Mushroom (Morel)
5. Coral Fungus
6. Finger Fungus (Unbranched Corals)
7. Beard Fungus (Hericium)
8. Puffballs
9. Horn Fungus
10. Shelf Fungus (Bracket)
11. Jelly Babies
12. Jelly Fungus
13. Cup Fungus
14. Eyelash Fungus
15. Bird’s Nest Fungus
16. Blue-Green Stain
17. Black Knot
18. Rust Fungus
19. Lobster Fungus (Hypomyces)
20. Slime Mold
References: Non-Flowering Plants; A Golden Guide
Fascinating Fungi of the North Woods; Kollath-Stensaas
Raptors Mid September
At this time of September, the autumn migration is well at hand. We may see this in
many ways. I feed birds outside my classroom and often we see migrating sparrows and
juncos. We also observe warblers, thrushes, finches and geese as they pass by; but in fall
in Duluth, Minnesota, it is the flight of raptors: hawks, eagles, osprey, etc. that gets our
attention. Though not as likely at this time, I include owls on this list.
We take a trip to the Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve to view this migration. We are
fortunate to have this excellent site only about fifteen minutes from school. To avoid
distractions and disturbances (caused by us and the others witnessing the migration), we
go back from the road observation site is to a small rocky overlook. Here, we sit down
and watch as the raptors fly right over us. As a group, we keep track of what kinds we see
and how many of each. We usually see the movement in late morning or in early
afternoon at about the rate of one per minute (fast enough to keep the middle school
student interested).
Typically, the flight of sharp-shinned hawks is constant and we can be sure to see them.
In addition to these small accipiters, we usually see some American kestrels, osprey, bald
eagles, red-tailed hawks, broad-winged hawks, northern harriers and turkey vultures. If
the winds are right (from the northwest), we may also experience huge flights of broad-
winged hawks. Some years, we have seen kettles of more than a thousand. These are very
impressive numbers, but such flocks are almost always very high. Also, the flight of
songbirds is happening and we take note of these birds as well.
We stay here for an hour to an hour and a half. Students either bring binoculars or are
issued a pair. Part of the time there is spent learning how to use the binoculars properly.
The nearby banding station will nearly always have some caught and banded hawks,
usually sharp-shinned hawks, that we are able to view closely and release.
Vocabulary Terms:
Raptor
Birds of Prey
Buteos
Accipiters
Falcons
Migration
Kettles
Thermals
Drawings:
Hooked Beak
Talons
List of Raptors:
1. Red-Tailed Hawk
2. Broad-Winged Hawk
3. Sharp-Shinned Hawk
4. Cooper’s Hawk
5. Goshawk
6. American Kestrel
7. Merlin
8. Peregrine Falcon
9. Harrier
10. Osprey
11. Bald Eagle
12. Turkey Vulture
13. Great Horned Owl
14. Great Gray Owl
15. Barred Owl
16. Snowy Owl
17. Saw-Whet Owl
18. Long-Eared Owl
19. Short-Eared Owl
20. Hawk Owl
Reference:
Birds of North America; Golden Press
Fall Wild Flowers Late September
Mid to late September is a good time to see the wild flowers that began blooming in
summer and lingered now into the fall. Many will continue to bloom until stopped by the
frosts. Unlike spring wild flowers that bloom in the woods, these are plants of the open
fields, meadows and roadsides. Many are native, but a large number are introduced
species (exotics or aliens).
I use this topic to introduce students to the concept of composites; since many that bloom
now are of this type. We make note of color, size and other pertinent information. Most
are perennial and if you know your study sites, you’ll be able to find the same plants for
years. A few are biennials and produce rosettes that make for good viewing as we move
closer to winter.
Best known of these late blooming plants are the goldenrods and asters. Both are native,
diverse, large and easy to recognize. Others easy to find now include tansy, daisy, black-
eyed susan, yarrow, hawkweed, pearly everlasting and some non-composites: red clover,
sweetclover, mullein, evening primrose and butter and eggs. These plants grow near the
school are many show responses to the shorter days and the cooling of autumn. They also
usually have visiting insects that are worth watching as well.
Vocabulary Terms
Composites
Ray Flowers
Disc Flowers
Annuals
Biennials
Perennials
Exotic
Alien
Drawing:
A typical composite (daisy)
Ray Flowers
Disc Flowers
List of Fall Wild Flowers
1. Black-Eyed Susan
2. Daisy
3. Fleabane
4. White Aster
5. Purple Aster
6. Goldenrod
7. Tansy
8. Sunflower
9. Sticktight
10. Orange Hawkweed
11. Yellow Hawkweed
12. Sow-Thistle
13. Thistle
14. Yarrow
15. Pearly Everlasting
16. Red Clover
17. Yellow Clover
18. Yellow Sweetclover
19. White Sweetclover
20. Birdfoot Trefoil
21. Butter and Eggs
22. Mullein
23. Evening Primrose
24. Gentian
References:
Flowers; A Golden Guide
Wildflowers and Weeds; Van Nostrand Reinhold
Deciduous Trees Early October
Leaf color change begins already in August and continues through September. By late in
the month, it may be at its peak; the time of greatest color. Early October colors continue
with some changes and some lessening. Usually by mid month, we experience the big
drop, when most deciduous trees shed nearly all of these leaves. This is usually brought
on by a strong wind or rain that separates the leaves from the abscission layer of the leaf
petiole and tree twigs.
I like to take this time, usually in early October, to look at the local deciduous trees. We
get to know the tree species by recognizing the leaves, but we also note their autumn
colors and any other pertinent observations, such as the berries (mountain-ash and
highbush cranberries), nuts (oaks) or seeds (maples and box elder). Most of the leaves are
yellow and fewer are red. We have a discussion of how these colors are arrived at and
why reds are less common than yellows. We also look at why trees drop their leaves.
Tree leaves are described into four groups: simple pinnate, compound pinnate, simple
palmate and compound palmate. Though we concentrate on local trees growing on or
near the school campus, we also include the vine Virginia creeper because it is so
common and bright red at this time of year.
Vocabulary Terms:
Deciduous
Pinnate
Palmate
Chlorophyll
Xanthophyll
Anthocyanin
Carotene
Abscission Layer
Leaf Margin Types
Drawing:
Simple Pinnate
Compound Pinnate
Simple Palmate
Compound Palmate
List of Deciduous Trees
1. Sugar Maple
2. Red Maple
3. Silver Maple
4. Highbush Cranberry
5. Basswood
6. Dogwood
7. Cherry
8. Willow
9. Elm
10. Birch
11. Alder
12. Poplar
13. Quaking Aspen
14. Bigtooth Aspen
15. Red Oak
16. Bur Oak
17. Ash
18. Mountain-Ash
19. Sumac
20. Box Elder
21. Buckeye
22. Virginia Creeper
Reference:
Trees; A Golden Guide
Insects and Spiders Mid October
October frequently has clear mild days with a temperature that may rise to the 50 or 60
degree range. It is on these days that many of the insects that persist from the summer in
nearby meadow grasses and wild flowers get active. They are very easy to catch at this
time. Any study of insects and spiders is a huge subject, so I emphasize those still active
at this time of fall.
What I have learned to do with students is to use sweep nets to gather insects in such sites
with just a few sweeps in the meadow plants. The insects (and plant parts) are put into
clear plastic boxes of about 12 inches by 6 inches by 8 inches. Students then gather at a
centralized meeting site and examine the insects and spiders in these boxes. After looking
at them, we use plastic Petri dishes to collect many good species for a closer look.
Grasshoppers, crickets, leafhoppers, stink bugs, ladybugs, flies, ants, aphids, caterpillars,
crab spiders, dwarf spiders, jumping spiders and sheet-web spiders are abundant in these
places and are easy to collect. We also find a few bees, wasps, moths, lacewings,
dragonflies, wolf spiders, orb-web spiders and daddy-long-legs. All critters are looked at
and recorded, but everything is released when we are finished.
This collecting method works great. Students quickly learn how to use these sweep nets
and work well in groups of two. My only concern is that the grasses in the collecting site
must be dry. Though I want students to closely look at the critters, I limit the amount of
actually touching that takes place.
Vocabulary Terms:
Insects
Head
Thorax
Abdomen
Antennae
Metamorphosis
Spiders
Cephalothorax
Pedipalps
Spinnerets
Drawings:
A typical Insect with basic parts
A typical Spider with basic parts
List of Insects and Spiders
Insects
1. Grasshopper / Locust
2. Katydid
3. Cricket
4. Leafhopper
5. Ladybug (Ladybird Beetle)
6. Ground Beetle
7. Stink Bug
8. Ambush Bug
9. Dragonfly
10. Damselfly
11. Lacewing
12. Aphid
13. Ant
14. Hornet / Wasp
15. Bumble Bee
16. Bee Fly
17. Mosquito
18. Crane Fly
19. House Fly
20. Butterfly
21. Moth
Spiders
22. Wolf Spider
23. Dock / Fishing Spider
24. Jumping Spider
25. Crab Spider
26. Cob-Web Spider
27. Funnel-Web Spider
28. Sheet-Web Spider
29. Orb-Web Spider
30. Daddy-Long-Legs
References
Insects; A Golden Guide
Butterflies and Moths; A Golden Guide
Spiders and their kin; A Golden Guide
Butterflies of the North Woods; Kollath-Stensaas
Spiders of the North Woods; Kollath-Stensaas
Small Mammals Late October to Early November
Throughout the fall, especially in October, the local small mammals are very active. I
define small mammals as those that are shorter than arm’s length. (With the variety of
arm lengths with teachers and growing seventh graders and the tail lengths of mammals,
this definition is not perfect, but for our discussions, it works fine.)
Though quite common, there are many small mammals that are usually not seen. We
discuss their activity time: diurnal and nocturnal. And since this topic is explored in
autumn, we talk about how each one spends the winter: remain active, hibernate
(including the long-term sleepers such as skunks), or migrate (bats). A few change their
coat to white for the winter.
We are not likely to see small mammals on our walks on the school campus, so we set
live traps. The small aluminum traps are baited and placed under grasses and leaves to
catch nocturnal mammals. Over the year, we have caught deer mouse, meadow vole,
short-tailed shrew, masked shrew, chipmunk and flying squirrel. Caught specimen are
looked at and turned loose; never handled.
Vocabulary Terms
Mammal
Rodent
Nocturnal
Diurnal
Hibernate
Drawing
Gnawing Teeth
List of Small Mammals
1. Gray Squirrel
2. Red Squirrel
3. Fox Squirrel
4. Flying Squirrel
5. Chipmunk
6. Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrel
7. Franklin Ground Squirrel
8. Woodchuck
9. Gopher (Pocket Gopher)
10. Vole (Field or Meadow Mouse)
11. Deer Mouse (White-Footed Mouse)
12. Jumping Mouse
13. Porcupine
14. Muskrat
15. Beaver
16. Cottontail Rabbit
17. Snowshoe Hare
18. Star-Nosed Mole
19. Shrew
20. Bat
21. Weasel (Ermine)
22. Mink
23. Pine Marten
24. Striped Skunk
Reference
Mammals; A Golden Guide
Pond in Fall Late October to Early November
A small pond that was dug many years ago and now has become naturalized is our setting
for this topic. It is about one-fourth of a mile from school, on protected city property. We
visit this pond three times during the school year: Fall (late Oct. or early Nov.), Winter
(early January) and Spring (early May).
At the pond, we check the abiotic factors; water clarity, temperature, depth, size of pond
and the bottom of the pond. We also collect pond water and specimen and take them back
into the classroom for a closer look.
I like to wait until after the leaves have fallen from the trees. Many leaves fall into the
pond and on the bottom, they serve as excellent hiding places for the aquatic organisms. I
walk in the pond (I discourage students from walking in) and collect a sample of water
with the dead leaves. One gallon ice cream pails work very good for this. A gallon of
pond water and leaves holds many aquatic critters; and it is not too heavy to carry back to
school.
We also note other observations at the pond. These would include fishing spiders, frogs,
turtles, fishes and birds (ducks). During the walk to the pond, I like to stop often to make
observations of the area (mostly woods) that we pass through to get to and from the pond.
In the classroom, I give each student a plastic tray about nine inches by eight inches by
three inches. We put the pond water samples in these trays. It is important to have a tray
for each student. Students are to sort through the water to find critters. I find that white
spoons work good for this and leaves are slowly lifted from the water, exploring for any
critters here. Caught specimen are put in plactic Petri dishes and some old lunch trays that
I got from the cafeteria; both work fine.
The pond water in fall is very populated and every student will find much. Typical
species found include: immature insects of: dragonflies, damseflies, caddisflies (in their
constructed homes), midges and phantom midges. The only adult insects found are water
boatmen, backswimmers and water (diving) beetles. Also usually found: scuds, water
fleas, leeches, roundworms, flatworms, water mites, snails and pill clams.
Students truly enjoy this study and show the curiosity that is natural and expected of their
age. Normally when we examine the pond water in fall, “the kids become kids”. I also
like to use the camcorder to project some of the findings onto the VCR for all students to
see.
Vocabulary Terms
Aquatic
Immature Insects
Larva
Nymph
Drawing
Cross-Section of the pond
List of Pond Critters
I do not give a list to students before we search the pond,
But we make a list of the discoveries later.
Reference
Pond Life; A Gold Guide
Animal Signs Mid November
With the leaves off the trees and before snow covers the ground, we take a look at the
signs left by animals. Even though animal tracks are animal signs, they are covered as a
topic separate from the other signs. We define animal signs as being anything left by an
animal that tells us that an animal either is or was present.
Frequently seen animal signs on our walks are deer rubbings (scraping), deer and rabbit
scat, squirrel nests, squirrel caches, skunk diggings in the lawn, bird nests and
woodpecker drillings. It seems as though animal signs are usually limited to mammals
and birds, but I like to continue the topic to include insects and spiders. Insect signs often
seen on our walks include hornet nests, insect galls (usually on goldenrods; sometimes
with holes in that indicate a bird like chickadees or downy woodpeckers that ate the larva
and so we see a double sign) and cocoons. Spiders show their presence with webs,
usually the funnel webs in corners and window sills (in these webs are often signs such as
the exuvia of eaten insects or the molted skins of the spiders themselves), and in proper
lighting, we can also see the “travel threads” of ballooning spiders. We also see castings
of earthworms in lawns.
The topics of animal signs and animal tracks in snow are terrific ways of showing
students that even though we see few of the critters that make these signs, we still can
attest to their presence.
Vocabulary Terms
Animal Signs
Cache
Middens
Scat
Drawing
Insect Gall; outside and inside
List of Animal Signs. This is far from a complete list, but I emphasize those commonly
seen in autumn. Nearly all have to do with habitats and food.
1. Squirrel Nest
2. Squirrel Den
3. Bird Nest
4. Hornet Nest
5. Insect Gall
6. Burrow (Tunnel)
7. Lodge
8. Dam
9. Bed
10. Rubbing (Scraping)
11. Scent Marking (Urine)
12. Gnawing
13. Drilling
14. Browse (Biting) (Chewing)
15. Cache
16. Digging
17. Middens
18. Scat
19. Fur
20. Feathers
References
Mammals; A Golden Guide
Insects; A Golden Guide
Spiders and their kin; A Golden Guide
Animal Tracks; Peterson Guide
Nature in Winter; Stokes Guide
Large Mammals Late November
By this time, we have seen the signs of many large mammals and so it is fitting to look at
them in more depth. We define large mammals as any mammal that is larger than our
arms. This can be broken down to members of these families: Dog, Cat, Weasel, Bear,
Deer and other hoofed mammals. It is important to reemphasize that those seen by
students are alive and wild in discussing whether seen or not.
Though I believe in emphasizing the local wildlife, I stretch this a bit when looking at
large mammals. I like to discuss those that are presently living here today or were here,
such as the caribou, but not now. Others, such as fisher and elk have been reintroduced.
This is also a good time to mention the various feet of mammals: plantigrade, digitigrades
and ungulates (hoofs) and to point out the differences in teeth of mammals and horns and
antlers.
Since we rarely see large mammals other than deer on our walks, it is good to have done
the signs as ways of determining their presence in the area near school.
Vocabulary Terms
Plantigrade
Digitigrade
Ungulates
Horns
Antlers (Velvet)
Drawing
Horns
Antlers
List of Large Mammals
1. Red Fox
2. Gray Fox
3. Coyote
4. Gray Wolf (Timber Wolf)
5. Bobcat
6. Lynx
7. Cougar (Mountain Lion)
8. Black Bear
9. Raccoon
10. River Otter
11. Fisher
12. Badger
13. Wolverine
14. White-Tailed Deer
15. Mule Deer
16. Woodland Caribou
17. Elk
18. Moose
19. Pronghorn
20. Bison (Buffalo)
Reference
Mammals; A Golden Guide
Animal Tracks in Snow Early December
This is the only topic that I teach that is entirely dependant on a snow cover that will last,
at least for a week (hopefully; a couple of months). Because of this, I’ve had years where
I could not teach the topic until late January or early February and other years that I
taught it in November. It is a truly outstanding way of teaching about what is going on
with animals in winter. I like to compare it to reading a newspaper. Each day there are
new stories written in the snow and like the newspaper, they get old very fast.
I keep it simple. This is a topic that can get extremely complicated, but we look for
basically two types: Walkers/Runners and Hoppers/Jumpers. We look at these two gaits
as well as footprints: Foot (Plantigrade), Toe (Digitigrade) and Toe Nail
(Hoof/Ungulate). Tracks = Gait + Footprints. We also make note of whether they leave
tail marks, tunnel or slide in snow as well. Though I spend most time with mammals, we
also note the tracks of some common birds such as crows and grouse.
When seeing the actual tracks, we like to determine “who done it”, but we also look for
the rest of the story: which way was it going, how many, how long ago and how fast.
Right in the school yard, we read messages left by: foxes, deer, rabbits, squirrels, voles,
deer mice, shrews and crows regularly and occasionally, we see those of weasel (ermine),
skunks and grouse.
I have found this to be a powerful teaching tool that usually goes unnoticed. Early winter
and late winter tend to be the best time. Perhaps this is due to the warmer temperatures
and wetter snow. Deep dry snow of mid winter or crusty snow is a little harder to read.
Vocabulary Terms
Gait
Walkers/Runners
Hoppers/Jumpers
Footprint
Plantigrade
Digitigrade
Ungulate
Hoof
Dew Claws
Toes
Claws
Pad
Drawing
Canine Footprint (Toes)
Feline Footprint (Toes)
Bear Footprint (Feet)
Hoof Footprint (Toe Nails)
List of Animal Tracks in Snow
1. Fox
2. Coyote
3. Wolf
4. Bobcat/Lynx
5. Deer
6. Moose
7. Porcupine
8. Muskrat
9. Beaver
10. Bear
11. Raccoon
12. Shrew
13. Vole (Field Mouse)
14. Squirrel
15. Rabbit/Hare
16. Deer Mouse
17. Weasel (Ermine)
18. Mink/Pine Marten
19. Otter
20. Skunk
21. Grouse
22. Crow/Raven
23. Owl
24. Songbird
References
Mammals; A Golden Guide
Animal Tracks; Peterson Guide
Winter Birds Mid December
We took a look at the fall migration of birds back in September. Though we emphasized
the raptor migrations, we also noted the passing passerines. This was done when we saw
birds during our weekly walks of autumn. Now, we take a closer look at the birds that are
still with us in winter. These are mostly the permanent residents and the winter visitors of
the avian world. Since many people feed birds with some type of feeders, we walk out to
take a look at these nearby feeding sites; either our own or neighbors.
Winter birds, no doubt, include raptors; especially some owls, but we concentrate on the
smaller songbirds of the region. To this, I add a couple of gallinaceous birds. Since some
of our most common birds have been introduced, this is a good time to explore the
introduced or exotics that live amongst us.
We also take time to see what food that people put on bird feeders. Are they needed? Do
They cause problems with birds? And what do birds feed on when not going to feeders?
Bird adaptations to winter in such ways as fluffing up feathers is looked at too. As are the
other adaptations of birds such as woodpeckers, grosbeaks and crossbills.
Vocabulary Terms
Migrants
Winter Visitors
Permanent Residents
Drawings
None
List of Winter Birds
1. Black-Capped Chickadee
2. Boreal Chickadee
3. White-Breasted Nuthatch
4. Red-Breasted Nuthatch
5. Blue Jay
6. Gray Jay
7. Crow
8. Raven
9. Downy Woodpecker
10. Hairy Woodpecker
11. Pileated Woodpecker
12. Black-Backed Woodpecker
13. Northern Shrike
14. Mourning Dove
15. Bohemian Waxwing
16. Evening Grosbeak
17. Pine Grosbeak
18. Crossbill (Red and White-Winged)
19. Cardinal
20. Purple Finch
21. House Finch
22. Junco
23. Goldfinch
24. Pine Siskin
25. Redpoll
26. Snow Bunting
27. Ruffed Grouse
28. Spruce Grouse
29. Ring-Necked Pheasant
30. Rock Pigeon (Rock Dove)
31. Starling
32. House Sparrow
Reference
Birds of North America; Golden Press
Pond in Winter Early to Mid January
I like to take time during these cold days of January, shortly after returning from winter
vacation, to walk to the pond again and check the conditions of the pond at this time. We
collect some water with pond critters and examine back in the classroom.
After a discussion of what to expect at the winter pond, we go there carrying ice augers in
addition to the buckets and cups to collect water. Typically, the ice is one foot to twenty
inches thick and covered with at least several inches of snow. We scrape away the snow
and proceed to use the ice augers to drill down to the water below. To emphasize the
strength of the ice, I like to estimate how much weight we have on this surface; the
weight of all the students and teachers.
When drilling a hole, two things happen that need further discussion: the water comes up
to the top of ice and the water smells of methane. We discuss both of these and why they
happen. Reaching into the water, we collect water with submerged leaves or plants to
garner some organisms that are wintering here.
After drilling several holes, we return with the buckets of pond water and critters living
here. As we did with on our visit to the pond in the fall, I give a sample to each student to
examine back in the classroom.
Winter being as it is, our collecting is a bit limited and we do not find nearly as much as
we found in fall. Students usually get a bit disappointing with these meager finds. We
talk about what we do find, but also discuss the fact that there is more here, but just too
hard to see. This leads us into an introduction to the use of the microscopes.
For the next week, we will use the compound microscopes and the stereoscopes to look
over the pond water in more detail. With a little practice, the students become quite good
at finding various protozoa, rotifers, bristleworms, roundworms, diatoms and desmids.
Vocabulary Terms
Detritus
Aerobic Decay
Anaerobic Decay
Methane
Ice Auger
Pressure
Drawing
Cross-Section of the winter pond, showing the conditions of the winter.
List of Pond Critters
We make no list before, but compile lists of what we find in the water.
Reference
Pond Life a Golden Guide
Winter Plants Late January to Early February
We begin second semester about the 20th of January. Our students go for a week at an
environmental learning center during mid February and this is followed by a late
February week of no school. So I take the two weeks at this time to look at the local
winter plants.
I have taught this topic in several ways, but what has settled down as being the easiest to
work with has been a look at the local conifers and several kinds of lichens. I have also
taught “winter wild flowers” (dried fall and summer wild flowers) and “ winter deciduous
trees” (using a self-constructed dichotomous key to distinguish trees by their twigs).
Conifers stand out easily now and with the exceptions of the bare tamaracks, all are still
green. We emphasize only the native ones. This can be a bit confusing since so many
introduced trees are now in yards and parks. Our native ones include: three pines, two
spruces, balsam-fir, white cedar, juniper, yew and tamarack. Nearly all are easy to see
near school. We look at the needles, but also see the cones; opening the jack pine cones
by flame; using a Coleman stove outside.
Lichens abound in the northland forests and any study of these can get very complex, so I
keep it simple using terms like: tree lichen, rock lichen, leather lichen and beard lichen.
We also discuss how lichens are often seen as indicators of clean air. Later during the trip
in February, students see an abundance of conifers and lichens; both so common in the
boreal forests. Also green and visible at this time mosses, liverworts, rock-capped fern
(an evergreen fern) and clubmoss are added to this list too.
If we include the winter wild flowers, this topic is excellent for teaching seed dispersal
and winter adaptations. Looking at the winter tree twigs, we see the tree anatomy and
another adaptation to dealing with winter.
Vocabulary Terms
Conifers
Coniferous
Cones
Lichens
Algae
Fungi
Boreal Forests
Drawing
Cones with seeds
Lichens; showing the Algae and Fungi
List of Winter Plants
Conifers
1. Red (Norway) Pine
2. White Pine
3. Jack Pine
4. White Spruce
5. Black Spruce
6. Balsam (Balsam-Fir)
7. Cedar (White Cedar)
8. Juniper
9. Yew
10. Tamarack (Larch)
Lichens
11. Blue-Green Tree Lichen
12. Yellow Tree Lichen
13. Rock Lichen
14. Leather Lichen
15. Beard Lichen
16. Reindeer Lichen
17. British Soldier Lichen
18. Cup Lichen
19. Mosses
20. Liverworts
21. Rock-Capped Fern (Polypodium)
22. Clubmoss (Lycopodium)
References
Trees; A Golden Guide
Non-Flowering Plants; A Golden Guide
Fishes Early March
As we get to the longer days of early March, several things start to happen. We get pussy
willow and aspen buds showing up on tree branches. We see snow melt at the base of
deciduous trees; tree circles. The earliest migrants appear, a few insects that hibernate,
such as house flies and the predatory jumping spiders emerge, on sunny west side of
buildings. Also, we see some breaks in the ice cover of local streams. Larger rivers and
lakes will loose the ice later.
Near school, we have a small creek that was formerly a local trout stream. Now, in late
winter, it is flowing with large sections free of ice. Though it is hard to find trout there
now, populations of minnows and other small fishes can still be found. I take this time to
look at this stream as it gets freed from winter’s grip. And we examine the species of
local fishes.
This is a good topic to look at various adaptations to their aquatic lives and I present the
fishes in their families thus showing the similarities. We also note those that are non-
native. We concentrate on the fishes of Minnesota, but sometimes we make use of
aquarium fishes to note their adaptations. Though there is much discussion of game fishes
or large fishes, I often emphasize the smaller ones. We seldom see many fishes in the
nearby stream during our walk, but it is good to see the conditions of a small rocky creek.
Vocabulary Terms:
What is a Fish
Scales
Dorsal Fin
Ventral (Pelvic) Fin
Caudal Fin
Pectoral Fin
Anal Fin
Adipose Fin
Gills
Air (Gas) Bladder
Lateral Line
Drawing
A typical fish with all parts
List of Fishes
1. Sunfish
2. Crappie
3. Largemouth Bass
4. Smallmouth Bass
5. Catfish
6. Bullhead
7. Northern Pike
8. Muskellunge (Muskie)
9. Minnow
10. Dace
11. Shiner
12. Chub
13. Carp
14. Sucker
15. Perch
16. Walleye
17. Ruffe
18. Darter
19. Trout
20. Salmon
21. Lake Trout
22. Whitefish
23. Mudminnow
24. Sculpin
25. Stickleback
26. Smelt
27. Sturgeon
28. Bowfin (Eelpout)
29. Eel
30. Lamprey
References
Fishes; A Golden Guide
Fishes of the Minnesota Region; University of Minnesota Press
Sap and Other Early Spring Things Mid to Late March
As the vernal equinox comes to us with the longer days, we see more happenings. In the
warm and sunny micro habitats of March, we find the first dandelions in bloom, the first
butterflies, flies, spiders and earthworms. Usually, we get reports of sights of robins, red-
winged blackbirds, Canada geese and chipmunks.
With all of these changes, we are ready to tap Maple trees for sap. I have done this as
early as the first week of March on some years, but the flow is usually better later in the
month. Though most of our tapping is done on sugar maples, red maples (even some
silver maples) will work as well. We keep it simple. We use a hand brace (drill/auger)
and a one-half inch bit. The taps are put in the west side of the trees. We have found four
or five taps per class are enough. We use one-gallon water containers (old milk jugs work
fine) to collect the sap. They are fastened to the tree with nails and twine.
We set a goal of collecting twenty gallons of sap. With a ratio of forty gallons of sap to
give one gallon of syrup, this gives us only one-half gallon of syrup. For a class of the
usual size, this means that each student will get only a few tablespoons of syrup, but we
do not consider the project done until everyone has had a chance to taste it.
We have done different ways of boiling down the sap to make syrup, but a Coleman
camp stove works fine. It does take a while and the sap needs to be frozen, to keep from
getting moldy, until boiling. Some years, the syrup is not ready until May. Students get to
see and collect the sap and relate it to the spring happenings of the trees. This topic can
be very time and fuel consumptive.
Vocabulary Terms
Sap
Tap
Xylem
Phloem
Drawing
Containers on the tree during the sap flow
Water Birds Early April
With the break up of ice on larger bodies of water, such as rivers and edges of lakes in
April, we take a look at the spring bird migration. Many kinds of birds are now moving
north including raptors and songbirds, but we concentrate on the water birds at this time.
We look at the different adaptations of birds that live in or near water. We emphasize the
ones that live here or keep going to breed in the far north, but pause along the way. After
looking at various kinds and discussing them in the classroom, we go to the St. Louis
River (about twenty minutes from school) to view the flight. We walk out into a
backwater swamp on an old unused railroad track. Students use binoculars and one or
two spotting scopes to see these birds better. It is not unusual to find ten to fifteen kinds
during these walks. We also make note of any other spring happenings while here.
Due to the often windy and chilly conditions of spring, we may need to go to any one of
several sites that are a bit more protected.
Vocabulary Terms
Aquatic Birds
Water Birds
Waterfowl
Waders
Shorebirds
Drawing
Feet and beak of aquatic birds
List of Water Birds
1. Loon
2. Canada Goose
3. Snow Goose
4. Tundra Swan
5. White Pelican
6. Cormorant
7. Grebe
8. Coot
9. Common Merganser
10. Red-Breasted Merganser
11. Hooded Merganser
12. Bufflehead
13. Goldeneye
14. Shoveler
15. Mallard
16. Black Duck
17. Ring-Necked Duck
18. Scaup
19. Blue-Winged Teal
20. Green-Winged Teal
21. Wigeon
22. Wood Duck
23. Herring Gull
24. Ring-Billed Gull
25. Tern
26. Great Blue Heron
27. Killdeer
28. Sandpiper
29. Snipe
30. Yellowlegs
References
Birds of North America; Golden Press
Amphibians and Reptiles Late April
By late April, the snow has melted and numerous vernal pools are now in the region.
Recently awaken frogs are calling for territory and mates. This is an ideal time to learn
about the amphibian kinds: frogs, toads and salamanders that live here. The early
breeders are now producing eggs in pools and we walk out to find some eggs. Though we
look closely at the eggs, we do not collect any since most will die. They do better when
left in their ponds.
Due to our northern climate, only a few kinds of amphibians live here and so we include
local reptiles with this list. Garter and red-bellied snakes frequently wake early in spring
and painted turtles may be seen basking as well. Again, reptile numbers are low.
Together, they make a long enough list to keep students interested and looking as the
warmer weather returns.
Though we may commonly see and catch amphibians and reptiles, we do not make
captives of any of the collected specimen.
Vocabulary Terms
What is an Amphibian
What is a Reptile
Herps
Tadpoles
Singing (Vocal) Sac
Forked Tongue
Ventral Plates
Carapace
Plastron
Drawings
Frog Eggs
Tadpoles
Forked Tongue
Ventral Plates; showing where a tail is on a snake
List of Amphibians and Reptiles
Amphibians
1. Chorus Frog
2. Spring Peeper
3. Wood Frog
4. Leopard Frog
5. Green Frog
6. Mink Frog
7. Gray Tree Frog
8. American Toad
9. Bullfrog
10. Blue-Spotted Salamander
11. Red-Backed Salamander
12. Tiger Salamander
13. Spotted Salamander
14. Four-Toed Salamander
15. Newt
16. Mudpuppy
Reptiles
17. Painted Turtle
18. Snapping Turtle
19. Wood Turtle
20. Blanding’s Turtle
21. Map Turtle
22. Soft-Shelled Turtle
23. Garter Snake
24. Red-Bellied Snake
25. Ring-Necked Snake
26. Green Snake
27. Brown (DeKay) Snake
28. Hog-Nosed Snake
29. Water Snake
30. Bull (Gopher) Snake
31. Prairie Skink
32. Five-Lined Skink
Reference
Reptiles and Amphibians; A Golden Guide
Pond in Spring Early May
Warmer temperatures, snow melt and spring showers make early May a very good time
to visit the pond again. We came here in late October for the autumn trip, early January
for the winter and now we look at the pond of spring.
While standing at the pond, we observe the changes as it is now compared to that of fall
and winter. Plenty of green plants are starting to unfold along the pond’s edge. Marsh
marigolds are in bloom. And usually a pair of mallards and red-winged blackbirds are
among the cattails on one end of the pond.
Collecting is done much the same as it was in fall. Dead leaves from the bottom along
with algae and ample water is brought back in gallon buckets. Back in the classroom, we
examine the water for any critters that may be moving in the tray. It is spring and among
the soaked and partially decayed leaves, we find many snail eggs, mosquito larvae and
fairy shrimp. The nymphs of damselflies and dragonflies are soon to emerge into adults.
Sometimes, we will keep them in the pond water to watch this magnificent event happen
later in the month.
Vocabulary Term
Vernal
Drawing
Once again, we use camera attachments to view some of the pond critters for the
Whole class to see on the VCR.
List of Pond Critters
I do not give a list to students before we search the pond,
But we make a list of the discoveries later.
Reference
Pond Life; A Golden Guide
Spring Wild Flowers Mid May
In our latitude, the trees regrow their leaves during the second half of May. The woods
which began May devoid of leaves is fully foliated by the end of the month. Sunlight’s
penetration to the forest floor causes the quick growth and blooming of spring wild
flowers. Though some, like wild strawberries, are often in open spaces and marsh
marigolds are blooming in swamps, most of the ones we emphasize and look for are those
of the forest floor. This early gowth is followed by those that are more shade tolerant
later.
We take walks in the small wooded site near school and later go for a trip to Jay Cooke
State Park to see many more in bloom. This is also a good time to note the emerging
ferns, mosses and a few spring fungi; scarlet cups and morels as well.
We search for those in bloom, but we also comment on the ones, such as pyrola and wild
onion (leek) that will be in bloom later. We note the wild flowers by the color and
number of petals, size and leaf patterns. By determining the flowers by these
characteristics, we are developing a type of spring wild flower key.
For those who want to explore the concept of wild edibles, this is a good time. I avoid the
native plants of the woods for this. A good plant to eat with students is sheep sorrel.
Vocabulary Terms
Ephemeral
Petals
Sepals
Pistals
Stamen
Annual
Biennial
Perennial
Drawing
A typical “perfect” flower
List of Spring Wild Flowers
1. Hepatica
2. Bloodroot
3. Spring Beauty
4. Wood Anemone
5. Wild Strawberry
6. Wild Ginger
7. Purple Violet
8. White Violet
9. Yellow Violet
10. Dutchman’s Breeches
11. Coltsfoot
12. Marsh Marigold
13. Large-Flower Trillium
14. Nodding Trillium
15. White Trout-Lily
16. Yellow Trout-Lily
17. Bellwort
18. Wild Oats (Sessile Bellwort)
19. Toothwort
20. Jack-in-the-Pulpit
21. Dwarf Ginseng
22. Columbine
23. Starflower
24. Baneberry
25. Sarsapsarilla
26. Wild Lily-of-the-Valley (Canada Mayflower)
27. Bluebells
28. Corn-Lily (Blue-Bead Lily; Clintonia)
29. Bunchberry (Canada Dogwood)
30. Lupine
31. Tall Buttercup
32. Forget-Me-Not
33. Iris
34. Pink Ladyslipper (Moccasin Flower)
35. Yellow Ladyslipper
36. Showy Ladyslipper
References
Flowers; A Golden Guide
Wildflowers and Weeds; Van Nostrand Reinhold
Spring and Summer Songbirds Late May to Early June
With leaves appearing on the trees of late May, we have an abundance of caterpillars and
other newly emerged insects. The arrival of the spring and summer songbirds is in time to
feed on this banquet. I call the topic spring and summer songbirds because many arrive
back here in spring, but stay with us through the summer to raise the new family.
Some arrive as early as March. These include the red-winged blackbirds, grackles and
robins. Others are here in April: tree swallows, hermit thrushes and yellow-rumped
warblers; but most are May additions. We concentrate entirely on the songbirds at this
time and discuss why they sing. Most of our recognition is visual, but for some birds, we
will imitate or use memory phrases for their songs. This is especially useful with
ovenbird, black-throated green warbler, red-eyed vireo and white-throated sparrow.
Binoculars are recommended, but not necessary.
During our late May and early June walks, we find it hard to see the local avifauna, but
we are able to hear any that are singing. As an addition to the topic, we try to find a few
nearby nests at this time too. Nearly every year, we are able to locate nests of robins,
chipping sparrows or song sparrows on or near the school property. This is also a good
time to talk about and list the state birds.
Most of our list is specific species of birds, but with thrushes and warblers, the distinction
is too difficult for most students, so we simplify.
Vocabulary Terms
Songbirds
Perching Birds
Breeding
Nests
Nestlings
Fledglings
Migrants
Drawing
Beaks and Feet of Perching Birds
Spring and Summer Songbirds
1. Robin
2. Bluebird
3. Thrush
4. Catbird
5. House Wren
6. Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
7. Chimney Swift
8. Nighthawk
9. Kingfisher
10. Phoebe
11. Kingbird
12. Cuckoo
13. Cedar Waxwing
14. Flicker
15. Sapsucker
16. Tree Swallow
17. Barn Swallow
18. Cliff Swallow
19. Purple Martin
20. Red-Eyed Vireo
21. Ovenbird
22. Redstart
23. Yellowthroat
24. Warblers
25. Goldfinch
26. Rose-Breasted Grosbeak
27. Song Sparrow
28. Chipping Sparrow
29. White-Throated Sparrow
30. Indigo Bunting
31. Baltimore Oriole
32. Meadowlark
33. Grackle
34. Red-Winged Blackbird
35. Scarlet Tanager
36. Cowbird
Reference
Birds of North America; Golden Press
LOOKING BACK AT THE LAST 25 YEARS
Looking back on my 25 years of teaching a phenology-based life science class (I call it
natural science) to seventh graders, I have a few observations and impressions. I have
been in the unique position of being able to design and implement my course. And I have
been able to teach it the way I wanted to teach it for 25 years. When I began this class, I
knew of no one else who was doing anything similar or a model that I could use and so I
wrote my own from scratch. I knew that I wanted to get students outside more often and I
needed to structure the course. So I decided to watch nature through the school year both
indoors and outdoors. It took a few years to build up the materials needed to teach
effectively, but I persisted. The course has been a huge success with the students (and
their families).
I think the middle-school students of today are just as interested and curious about what
we find in nearby nature as they were when I began in the early 1980’s. Due to plenty of
misinformation, the curiosity is often cautious. I see this especially with insects and
spiders. Many pressures to grow up quickly and the modern family life styles keep them
disconnected from natural happenings. With school, sports and electronic recreations,
they do not do much outdoors on their own. I’m often amazed at how something that is
common and even obvious appears to be new to them. Yet, when presented with what is
around them, these Nature-Deficit Disorder students are willing and often eager to learn.
Parents of these students often look and act like they are as unfamiliar with local natural
history as well the students. Families that camp, hunt, fish or just walk outside together
do know more of what is happening in this scene than others.
One area that has improved greatly over the last 25 years is the amount of references and
resources the students have access to. Not only are there a plethora of nature guides now
available that show the virtues of modern photography and author expertise, but there is
also various TV programs and, of course, the internet that can add so much to their
knowing about wildlife. Unfortunately, I have taught many students who are limited to
this two-dimensional experience of nature that too often is based on sensationalism and
uses examples from other parts of the world; avoiding nearby nature.
Perhaps the saddest part of dealing with today’s students is that detachment from nature
for our whole society continues to happen. Not only does there appear to be less interest
or knowledge about our natural world, the undeveloped sites that have survived until
now; where a person might go to, are quickly becoming fewer. Which gives even a better
reason to teach my phenology-based science. They NEED this regular immersion in
Nature.
Parents and colleagues have frequently mentioned to me how they wish that they could
have had a course like mine. Indeed, some of my favorite questions that I get during the
school year are from parents who have seen or found something and they wonder what it
is and other information about it. Students who stick with me get a good view of the local
flora and fauna and their changes throughout the year. (Ironically, I rarely use the word
phenology in class. Students get much vocabulary in science class and I try to keep it
limited.)
The impact of my phenology-based teaching has been greatest on me. It turned my life
around. Thanks to what I have learned during while teaching this daily experience of the
last 25 years, I have been able to speak at numerous teacher conferences, nature
organizations, etc. I have written six books, frequent articles and a weekly phenology
column in a local newspaper. I have had a weekly phenology radio program for more
than ten years and have been a guest on others. I think that teaching this class has added
ten years to my career. It has kept me excited and enthused about education. It makes me
take a continuous close look at nature myself. It has helped me appreciate life better.
What better thing can be said about a course that I walked in to teach one early
September day in 1982 with no text and virtually no materials, and I still teach today! I
began the course to fill a gap in the education of the present day student. I feel like I have
succeeded. And I learned much about local nature myself. I will never stop being a
phenologist!
