For the past three years, I have had the students keep a journal in which they record various “Signs of Spring”. I have published a Signs of Spring calendar for them to use as a reference point. (See attached). The calendar list various “firsts” or early arrivals such as Great horned owls begin to nest, listen for the spring songs of the Chickadee and Tufted titmouse, first of the returning Red-winged blackbirds, etc. I also include other natural history information such as “skunks emerge to mate at this time of year”, “maple sap starts running about now”, “salamander migration begins on the first, rainy night”, and other bits of information that they can be on the lookout for. Included are the dates of the new and full moons, sunrise, sunset, and length of day. I also add some non-nature signs of spring such as “Red Sox report to spring training”. This activity starts in late January and continues until early June. Observations are made once or twice a week both in written form and artistically, i.e., sketches, painting, photographs, etc.
Isabella's Signs of Spring Journal