Exploration: Phenology of Plants and Animals in Colorado
Scientists in Colorado's East River Valley have been studying the recurring plant and animal life cycles (phenology) since the mid-1970s to monitor the degree to which plant/animal life cycles may be shifting in response to changing environmental conditions. Explore their data here!
Context for Use
This Data Puzzle Exploration is part of a larger collection of resources that leverage the NSF-funded data analytics tool, CODAP, to provide students with structured opportunities to explore real-world datasets. We encourage new users to study the instructional model and review relevant teacher guides prior engaging students with Explorations.
Data Puzzles Exploration Instructional Model
Goals Header
What Students Will Do
- Create graphical displays of data related to phenology in Colorado’s East River Valley to identify patterns of biotic and abiotic factors over time.
- Construct an argument supported by evidence and reasoning for how biotic and abiotic factors in Colorado’s East River Valley have changed over time.
Teaching Materials
Description
Scientist Story (20 minutes)
- Connect students to the personal experiences to the science ideas scientists featured in the Exploration are investigating with data.
Explore and Question Data in CODAP (100 minutes)
- Level 1 (40 minutes), Level 2 (30 minutes), Level 3 (30 minutes)
- Connect students to new attributes via discussion
- Explore these attributes by creating data visualizations in CODAP, summarizing patterns/findings from the data visualizations, and generating new questions.
- Share out the patterns/findings in the data, clarify new learning, and ask questions. Document these patterns and questions in a whole-class public record, Learning Tracker.
- Note, the list above is repeated in Levels 1, 2 and 3.
Final Argument (30 minutes)
- Students evaluate evidence from all 3 levels of the Exploration to develop an argument based on evidence using a modified CER graphic organizer.
