Spring's Journey North
Highlights of the Season
North opened my eyes to the sweep of life moving with the seasons
across the Western Hemisphere. Wow!" said Maine teacher Roger
can have the same experience by scanning the headlines in Journey North
News Updates each day. This will give your students a rich overview
of the interconnected changes that occur in spring.
a Spring Calendar
Have students make a calendar or timeline that extends from February to June.
Scan the Journey North Headlines!
Have students read the "headlines" in Journey North News regularly.
Select "News" on the navigation bar above. The News page links
directly to the latest news story for each species. An accompanying abstract
tells the highlights included in each report. Students can read the full
story for details.
28: First ruby-throated hummingbirds reported in
10: Ice melts from Thoreau's Walden Pond.
20: Monarch butterflies are leaving the sanctuaries
first whooping cranes leave Texas for Canada.
10: First Gray
whale mothers & babies reach Monterey Bay, CA.
- May 1: Robins finally
arrive in North Pole, Alaska.
This! End Products
Spread the News of Spring's Arrival in Your Community.
Students at Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter School wrote weekly reports
for their community newspaper, from February to June. "What a great
experience," said teacher Joanne Amaru. The students captured highlights
from Journey North News to include in their news column, 'Nature Track.'" (More...)
Make a Journey North exhibit for your whole school!
Encourage other classrooms to help track
various spring events, and provide a complete picture of the Spring's
journey through your hometown--and across the hemisphere.
Report your observations and they will be stored permanently
in our database. Just click to search
for your historic records. Also,
a class journal about springtime observations. Share it in your classroom
from year to year so students can make comparisons. Embellish with descriptive
writing, poetry, illustrations, and photos. Consider as a class:
How could future students add to the timeline/journal each year?
could you show that events are cyclical in nature?
Connect to Climate Change Issues
Your local observations—collected over time—may show
the effect of a changing climate. Consider sharing your observations with
This! Journaling or Discussion Questions
Timing and the Food Chain
Look closely at the time each of the events occurred:
might sunlight (photoperiod) influence the timing of these events?
are these events related to the effect of temperature on the food
chain? Give examples.
plants does each animals need? How is an animal's movement related
to plant growth in spring?
Timing and Adaptations
of these events suggest a plant or animal can tell time?
out how animals "tell time." Learn about "biological
would happen if a plant or animal lost track of time?