Springtime is upon us and a lot is changing in the environment around us! Birds are migrating back, grass is getting greener and days are becoming warmer. One exciting change that happens every year with trees and shrubs is called leafing out. This is when buds  open up and leaves and flowers unfold and emerge! Over the winter, trees have been saving their energy in order to show the world what has been growing in their buds- brand new, bright green leaves and flowers!

Today’s task is to find a tree bud around you and make observations to put in your phenology journal (Directions on how to make your very own phenology journal). Remember, phenology is nature's calendar - it is the study of plant and animal life cycles throughout the seasons. Leafing out is what we would call a phenophase. A phenophase is an observable stage or phase in the annual life cycle of a plant or animal that can be defined by a start and end point. Tracking the arrival and departure of phenophases can help us understand how these life stages change or stay consistent from year to year! Keeping a phenology journal allows us to look back and predict when these changes will happen again. 

Materials:

• Journal or piece of paper
• Adult
• Observation skills!
• Optional: binoculars

This activity can be done inside or outside! Take a look at the branch of any tree you can see at eye level or with binoculars. What color is the bud? How big is it? Has it started to open? 

Take 10 minutes to observe all the different trees you can either in your yard, local park, porch or through an open window. Are they all leafing out? Are some further along than others? Why do you think some buds and leaves may arrive earlier than others? 

Watch how the buds around you change as the week goes on!