Phenology Curriculum

Why Study Phenology?

Phenology is a phenomenon that has been observed and recorded  by humans for centuries to decide, for example,  when to plant gardens in the spring, harvest in the summer and fall, and settle in for the dark winter. This phenology curriculum will introduce Kindergarten through fourth grade students to natural phenomenon through discovering, planting, observing, and measuring the growth of the California poppy.

Experiential learning through phenomenon-based citizen science

Students will witness first-hand how plants change through their life cycle and with the seasons.  They will be challenged to learn about climate, the seasons, native plants, and the importance of timing of certain events in the life cycle of the plant. By studying the same individual plant as it changes with growth, students will develop observational skills.

The Curriculum:

• Phenology Unit Outline
• NGSS Articulation Map K-4
• Phenology Student Workbook 

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Long-Term Data Collection (across school year)

• Weather Tracking Overview
• Daily (or weekly averages) for temperatures, precipitation levels , and  daylight length .
  • I recommend using a Google Form to collect the data in a spreadsheet .
    • Email me [mkauffmann at fortunaesd.com] and I will share this form with you.
  •  Weather Table Data Collection Sheet (or 11×17 for Bulletin Boards)

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Phenology Lesson Plans ( six lessons executed over several months)

• Day 1: Seasons
  
  • Lesson overview
• • Explaining the Seasons
• • Orbital Seasons and Months worksheet
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Day 2: Plant Parts
  • Lesson overview
  • READ: The Reason for a Flower
  • Label Plant Parts 
  • Measuring leaf practice
  • Draw Plant Parts 
  • John Muir Laws Drawing Plants Resources
    • Leaf (multiple)
    • Flower (multiple)
    • Leaf and Flower
      
      
      
      
      
      

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• Day 3: Grocery Story Botany
  • Lesson overview
  • Grocery Store Botany
  • Grocery Store Notebook

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• Day 4: What plants need: I recommend visiting the links below to further these ideas in day 4.
  • Education and the Environment supplemental materials:
    
    • Kindergarten: A Day in the Life Grade 1: Surviving and Thriving Grade 2: Flowering Plants and Our Environment Grade 3: Structure in a Healthy Ecosystem Grade 4: Plants, the Ultimate Resource
    
    
    
    
    
    

• Day 5: California Poppy (predicting, planting, observing, and measuring is on going)
  • Lesson overview
  • READ: A Seed is Sleepy
  • READ: Sky Tree
  • Poppy Growth Prediction
  • Poppy Fact Sheet
  • Data Collection
• Day 5 Alternate: Common plants of the California Coast
  • Phenology plant profiles
  • Phenology data sheets

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• Conclusions (graphing and writing)
  • READ: From Seed to Plant
  • Two Printable Calendars
  • Ideas for graphing (coming soon)

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Resources:

• Citizen Science ideas
• National Phenology Network
• Project Budburst
• Phenophase definitions and phenology worksheets