Student Samples- Growing Season Graphs and Conclusions

Holyoke Catholic Ninth Grade Student Graphs and Data Analysis from the Buds, Leaves and Global Warming study from 2012-2014

This series of graphs, result statements, and conclusions were created by HCHS H.S. freshman led by Schoolyard Teacher, Lise Letellier.   

I am posting these samples with comments from Harvard Forest Schoolyard Ecology project ecologist, Dr. John O'Keefe to serve as models for other schools implementing schoolyard projects. These students worked hard practicing graphing real data collected at their field sites, and trying to analyze the data and form conclusions about it. 

Note From Harvard Forest Project Ecologist, Dr. John O'Keefe:

Hannah, check data for tree HO-7 in 2012-It looks very late.

Notes for Hannah from project ecologist, Dr. John O'Keefe:  

• Title of the graph should be Growing Season by "Species"-same word for singular and plural. 
•  Growing season by tree generally is quite variable with little consistent pattern
• Most species had a long growing season in 2013 esp. Exotic Cherries (EC) and red maples (RM).  
• 2012 and 2014 were generally shorter with 2012 shortest in hornbeam (HO) and red maple (RM).
• Hard to say much with only 3 years ( and only 2 for some species and individuals) of data.
• Differences might be obvious if the scale ranges were reduced , i.e. Julian Date budburst 80-160 rather than 0-160. Even more relevant for leaf fall, i.e. 250-350 rather than 0-400.  

 Note to Claire From Project Ecologist, Dr. John O'Keefe:

Budbreak 2012 was the earliest year.  Check data for tree HO-7.  
2013 was intermediate and 2014 was the latest. 

Notes to Claire from Project Ecologist, Dr. John O'Keefe:

• Leaf Fall : Tree EC-10 has the earliest leaf fall, but there was little pattern across years. Generally exotic cherries (EC) had early leaf fall and hornbeams (HO) had late leaf fall. 
• Growing Season: Generally 2012 was longest and 2014 shortest but not for all individuals.
• Analysis by Species:  Hard to say much here with only 3 of the study's species having all years worth of data.  

Thanks so much to Claire, Hannah, and Lise for sharing this important work!!!

We so much appreciate the depth of the work you are doing in Holyoke, and very much hope that it serves as a model for other schools.  

We invite other schools to send us comments about these models or samples of student work, lesson plans, resources or photos from their schools by emailing to psnow@fas.harvard.edu

In Memory of a Harvard Forest Schoolyard Teacher and Mentor; Bill Van Valkenburg

 Bill Van Valkenburg's Obituary is available online at:  http://www.Van Valk Obit

Return to the Pools

Spring 2015 Vernal Pool Updates from the Field

Snow and Sleet Did Not Stop Schoolyard "Spring" Workshop  

 April 9, 2015

To see the PDFs of Teacher Presentations, visit our website at: 

Levy. 2015. Micro-directions for Buds and Leaves Related Activities.pdf

Bennett. 2015.  9 Years of "Woolly Bully" Integration In Brief

McDonald. 2015. Forest Ecology Unit- Woolly Bully.pdf

Gibson. 2015. Starting The Our Changing Forests Project-Year 1.pdf

Kostich. 2015. Changing Forests Challenges and Successes-Year 2.pdf

Gibson. 2015. Life in a Wicked Big Puddle-VP.pdf

Are You on the Map? 

New Interactive Field Site Maps are available on Google Maps 

Field Site Locations For All Schoolyard Projects

Thanks to Greta Vanscoy,our field site maps now include new schools who have submitted data for  the first time this school year.  We have also added distinctive icons for each project on our individual project maps below. To use the interactive features on these maps, please see  links and notes following the figures below. 

Clickable Interactive Maps are available on Google Maps at: 

Schoolyard Interactive Maps

After linking to Google Maps,  click on an icon to find links to the name and address of the school along with the Schoolyard Eco. data for that site. 

Note that to use the Google Map for field sites, you will need to click on the box to the left of the Project Title or  The "All Participating Schools" category in order for the site icons to appear on the base map. Similarly, click any checked boxes if you want to clear the icons in order to view an alternative field project map. 

Link to Schoolyard Google Maps

Congrats to those schools who have made the map!  

Some schools have begun projects but have not been able to submit data yet.  Once data is submitted for additional schools, we will add those schools to our maps.  Please report any inaccuracies  or updates to Pamela Snow.

  

HF Schoolyard is Partnering with the Museum Institute of Teaching Science (MITS) again this Summer

More info and Registration: 

http://mits.org/2015-summer-professional-development-institutes-regions-page/

Is Spring Really Coming This Year???

Is Spring Really Coming This Year???

Send Us Some Hope People!

Now this is Spring!  

Maple flowers are blooming along the Concord River in Lowell according to Sally Farrow, Mass. Audubon Educator, who submitted this welcome show of color 

What signs of Spring are you seeing at your sites?  Send em along. 

Come see some signs of a late Spring at Harvard Forest on April 9th- Spring Workshop for Teachers

email Pamela Snow at: psnow@fas.harvard.edu to register

Lise Letellier says Spring is Coming to her Schoolyard pictured above in Chicopee, MA.

Susan Cox, Conservation Educator  says:

Making syrup is a sure sign.

Here’s a great article from VT Public Radio

http://digital.vpr.net/post/science-syrup

Send us any signs of Spring you and your students can find...

We are desperate for them....