Middle and High School Curriculum: "Will the sap still rise when the mercury hits new highs?"
Fellows M and Stainton J. 2010. Middle and High School Curriculum: "Will the sap still rise when the mercury hits new highs?". National Park Service
Phenology is a way to detect a species’ response to climate change. Through this unit, students will understand the implications of climate change on ecological as well as economic systems. Students will also graph, interpret, and analyze data on temperature, snow depth, and season length to determine if maple trees and/or the sugaring industry in Vermont are being affected by climate change. Finally, students will conduct year-round phenological examinations of maple trees and report their findings. Extensions are provided to assist teachers in other regions of the United States with incorporating phenological topics into their classes.