Phenological Gardens

Students will identify horizons in a soil profile, observe the structure, color, consistence, texture, and the presence of rocks, roots, and carbonates of each horizon, and take samples for use in laboratory characterization protocols.

Students learn about plant response to light by setting up simple investigations in the classroom.

Students learn about the timing of spring budburst, develop multiple working hypotheses about why timing differs year to year, and test hypotheses using environmental data collected by GLOBE students in Alaska to come to a conclusion about the factors that most impact timing of budburst on paper birch trees. **This activity has an option to get students analyzing data in spreadsheets. The spreadsheet file (and answer key) can be found here: https://www.globe.gov/do-globe/globe-teachers-guide/atmosphere/data-exploration-learning-activities

Students observe and classify local plants based on their patterns of change other than growth.

Students learn about plant pigmentation and photosynthesis while conducting simple investigations to demonstrate the presence of pigments other than chlorophyll in leaves.