GLOBE News
Teachers: Read New GLOBE Guest Blog, “GLOBE and Natural Inquirer Crosswalk: Phenology”
“Natural cycles are occurring all around us all the time -- but do you notice them? Place-based observation cultivates childrens’ innate sense of wonder while learning about data collection, ecosystems, climate, and plants,” Guest blogger Eliza Balch said in a recent blog discussing resources about leaf color change from the Natural Inquirer and GLOBE’s “green-down” protocol that are designed to help start off the school year engaging upper-elementary students with seasonal change.
“These can be used as-is,” Balch said, “or can be grounded in a year-long observation routine of a study site using GLOBE’s What Can We Learn About Our Seasons?”
Balch, who is a water and soil scientist at the University of New Hampshire, USA, and affiliated with the University of New Hampshire Leitzel Center GLOBE Partnership, said, “These autumn lessons work well as a foundation for observing natural changes throughout the rest of the year. Learning about seasons through repeated observation in a particular location is a fun way to connect with nature around the school and learn to recognize seasonal patterns. Throughout the year, students integrate connections between physical, biological, and cultural markers of the seasons. This activity uses 1-3 class periods per month throughout the whole year, providing continuity between seasons and resulting in a cumulative display of their findings and experiences that they can be proud of completing.”
To read the blog, learn more about these scientific and educational resources, click here.
News origin: GLOBE Implementation Office