Master Naturalists and Phenology
Sample 8-hour Course Outline
This course can be presented as part of a Master Naturalist Training Program. Many Master Naturalist
Chapters utilize a 40-hour classroom lecture component with 20-40 hours in the field for certification.
The content for this phenology course can be presented in a 2-3 hour lecture/hands-on class, and 1-2
hours outside of the classroom completing data collection for a class assignment. You may find that it
might take you more or less time to cover the material contained in this example, which is fine. This is
meant to be used as a guide and can be edited to fit your local needs. Feel free to contact
education@usanpn.org with questions or suggestions.
NOTE: this outline does not cover setting up a site. Please see our Master Naturalist 8-hour course
outline for site set-up instructions.
There are many ways to establish phenology as part of a Master Naturalist training program. This is one
suggested application. It assumes that there is either an established phenology walk at the training
location or in the local community, so that students can have a hands-on experience with data collection
on familiar species.
The USA-NPN provides sample/editable PowerPoint presentations to go along with this training as well
as suggested activities that correspond with the in class training session. See the website for more
details: www.usanpn.org/MN
Class Objectives
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Be able to define phenology and explain its applicability to Master Naturalist volunteer work.
Understand the mission and objectives of the USA National Phenology Network.
Understand how the phenological data collection process works.
Participate in a weekly phenological data collection process for an extended period of time, over
many years, to create a local Master Naturalist dataset.
Observing is experiencing (PowerPoint presentation)
Total Time for this section, with activities: 1 hour
A. Getting started Activity: What do I want to know about phenology? Time: 5 minutes
https://www.usanpn.org/KWL
B. Tradition and folklore – ethnobotany
a. Use local examples when possible
b. Share traditional planting calendars – plant peas when forsythia and daffodils bloom,
eastern tent caterpillars hatch when crab apples bloom
c. Beaver moon; oak before ash, in for a splash; etc.
C. Group discussion – Seasonal indicators: list items that occur during each season. What
reminds you of each season?
D. History and phenology
a. Nature journaling, traditional record keeping
b. Robert Marsham, Thomas Jefferson, Henry David Thoreau, Aldo Leopold, other local
favorites?
The USA National Phenology Network | National Coordinating Office
1955 East 6th Street, Tucson, AZ 85721 | Phone: 520-622-0363
education@usanpn.org | www.usanpn.org/education
c. Cloned lilac program, spring index
E. Hands-on Activity 2, outdoors: Introduction to Journaling and Observation (also available in
Spanish) Time: 30 minutes
https://www.usanpn.org/intro-pheno-journal
Ecosystems, climate & phenology (PowerPoint presentation)
Time: 30 minutes
A. Ecology definition review, driving factors
B. Biomes and biogeography
C. Biology and Ecology – Sunshine, light energy, systems, oh my!
a. What does Biology and Ecology have to do with MN subjects?
D. Weather vs. Climate – defined
E. Plants and Climate:
a. USDA planting zones, Sunset planting guide
 Why is climate important to Master Naturalist subjects/content?
 Why is weather important to Master Naturalist subjects/content?
b. Precipitation and growing degree days affect seasonal growth
F. Species classification and organization
G. Phenology Definitions
a. Vegetative development
b. Animal behavior – hibernation, migration, pest emergence
c. Invasive species arrival
H. Plant Life Cycles: What are the main life cycles of plants? Leaves, Flowers, Fruits
I. Animal Life Cycles: What are indicators of life cycles in the animal kingdom?
J. Phenology and Climate Change
K. “Phenophases” - measurable, reoccurring, observable stages in an animal or plant life-cycles
L. Implications of climate change on species and regions of the US
USA National Phenology Network (PowerPoint presentation)
Time: 30-40 minutes
A. Goals of network
B. Nature’s Notebook Citizen and Professional Science program
C. How to take observations
D. How to enter observations into Nature’s Notebook
E. How to extract data from Nature’s Notebook
F. Activity 3: Understanding Phenophase Definitions. Provide students with sample data sheets
and phenophase definition pages for select species in your area – preferably for an animal, a
plant, an insect, etc. Have them select a partner and take a few minutes to read over the
definitions for each and discuss:
a. Something that is familiar
b. Something that is confusing
c. Something they’d like to understand better
G. Data In – the ways that Data is entered into our National Phenology Database via Nature’s
Notebook
H. Data Out – the ways in which data can be extracted from our database
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I.
Results – What some of our results are telling us. Be sure to check the
https://www.usanpn.org/nn/vignettes page for the most up-to-date information and
analyses.
Master Naturalists and Phenology
Time: 30 minutes
If you're a naturalist, you are likely already a phenologist!
The key is LONG-TERM participation for Nature’s Notebook. We know that making accurate
observations through time is very valuable for future ecological research.
A. Education Programs
a. Phenology can be a great topic for an interpretive walk – become a phenology
docent and host monthly/seasonal phenology walks
b. Design and utilize local phenological information for distribution at a park or natural
area
c. Host seasonal leaf/tree walks
d. Develop materials related to local ethnobotany activities, including traditional color
e. Create youth programs for in and out of school tours and help them create
observations for Nature’s Notebook
f. Collect observations using Nature’s Notebook and create a phenology calendar for
your local natural area
g. Partner with other local environmental education organizations to create a series of
phenology sites in your community – create a phenology trail
h. Mention ecology and phenology together!
B. Citizen Science Programs
a. Participate in Nature’s Notebook observations at a local site or in your back yard
b. Develop local science questions that can be answered using long-term data
collected via Nature’s Notebook. Participate in the online community of data
collection and work with scientists to apply what you are observing. See how your
data are contributing to research at the national and global scale. Communicate
changes in your community to stakeholders.
c. Other citizen science phenology programs include Frog Watch, Monarch Watch,
Monarch Larva Monitoring Project, Project Feeder Watch, Christmas Bird Count –
others?
C. Stewardship
a. Tree planting – consider providing educational information about phenology with
the trees AND returning to the planted trees every year to collect phenology
observations
b. Collecting macro-invertebrate data for stream health and clean up is phenology
observation
c. Design kiosks and information for local parks
d. Install phenology walks in your community at schools, parks, open spaces, natural
areas with local, regional, state, national partners
e. Use phenology information for invasive species abatement
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Set up a Site
Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
A. Hands-on Activity 3, outdoors: Site Set Up Activity
https://www.usanpn.org/site-set-up
B. How to develop a long-term phenology monitoring program at a site, with goals and
outcomes
Collect Phenology Observations
Time: 2-3 hours
A. Hands-on Data collection activity, outside: Use an established site at your location for
students to identify species, collect observations, and discuss the data collection process.
https://www.usanpn.org/shared_sites
B. Hands –on Data entry activity, indoors: Have participants practice entering observations
online in the Nature’s Notebook interface.
Homework assignments and future applications
A. Develop science questions or hypotheses for phenology data and Master Naturalists – What
do YOU want to know about species at your location?
B. Class assignments for course credit: Data collection for the remainder of the MN session.
Phenology will return on XXX, so have your data entered and be ready to discuss what we
found in our shared space!
C. Ask students to record phenology content presented as they participate in the duration of
their training course. Each subject area should inherently contain a reference to phenology,
even if not outright referenced. Use this worksheet for students to complete each week,
and during a return visit reflect on the material presented related to phenology.
https://www.usanpn.org/MG-MN-Course-Topics
Return to the class, time permitting, to reflect
Time: 1 hour
Reflect on assignments and data collection through out the weeks. Review observations
made on site (if applicable), in the field. Consider showing a demo of the data the students
collected during their tenure in class.
Exam Questions/Rubric
Master Naturalist Final Exam
1. What is Phenology?
Key words: Life cycle changes/stages/timing of major events in plants and animals
2. What will phenology data tell us in the future? And why is that important?
Key words/phrases:
-environmental variation
-shifting temperatures
-change in plants that grow/survive in garden
-need to alter what is planted
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-planting/watering/growing schedule shifts
-microclimates
-seasonal shifts - early/late spring or fall events
-changes in bloom time
-species mis-match
3. Phenological indicators can be used in naturalist activities. What are THREE ways that phenology
can be applied to being a Master Naturalist?
List Education, Citizen Science, and Stewardship Examples
4. How does tracking phenology help you as a Master Naturalist? (answers will vary)
-Record keeping system for changes in your area, pest arrival, etc.
-learning when YOUR ecosystem presents certain phenophases (e.g. bloom times)
-Contribution to scientific research, and local benefit
-Sharing what you’ve seen with your community
5. What is one phenological hypothesis that can be created for your local area? (answers will vary)
-bloom times in local sentinel plants
-migration dates for local species
-pest emergence (e.g. ladybugs, brown marmorated stink bug, emerald ash borer)
-invasive species research
-species mis-match questions (food source offset by early spring and migration arrival time
remains the same)
NOTE: Creating other questions that will demonstrate critical thinking skills and responses relevant to a
Master Naturalist in the field, would be most useful.
Suggested volunteer project ideas for Education, Citizen Science, Stewardship:
Education:
a. Develop and facilitate a long-term phenology monitoring project at a local nature
center, park, wildlife refuge.
a. Use USA-NPN’s program planning guide to help you get started
b. Think about science and/or species management questions that may be informed by
having a phenology record available for the location. Could include:
i. Invasive species phenology
ii. Wildlife visitation phenology
iii. Bird visitation phenology
iv. Beneficial and non-beneficial insect information
v. Allergy info
vi. Tourism indicators (leaf “peeping”, wildflower blooms)
b. Lead weekly/monthly walks, such as bird walks, wildflower walks, butterfly walks and
use phenology as an interpretive guide to the natural world. NOTE: if your location
already leads bird walks, etc., consider adding a seasonal or phonological spin to
information shared with visitors
c. Develop phenology calendars for the site, to distribute to visitors or hang in a nature
center. Create pamphlets on how and when to visit, what will be seen. Be sure to
describe why phenology is important.
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Citizen Science:
d. Visit an already established phenology monitoring program at a publicly accessible
space and help collect weekly observations
e. Work with collected phenology observations via the USA-NPN’s National Phenology
Database to help analyze data and inform decisions for the location
Stewardship:
f. Use phenology information to inform species management, such as invasive monitoring
and invasive pulls
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