Nature’s Calendar

This lesson presents the concepts of observing phenology and seasonal patterns through Cherokee stories and a graphing activity using data collected in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Students will learn about changing weather patterns and compare data relating to the seasonal arrival of animals and timing of plants. Students will create and analyze graphs to determine if species are changing their habitats to accommodate earlier and warmer springs in the mountains.

This video introduces the lesson and describes how to plan for the activities.

Activities for this lesson plan: