Grade six science students (class of 2015) are taking part in a yearlong ecological research study in conjunction with Harvard Forestry. The primary objective of the Schoolyard Long Term Ecological Research program is to develop citizen scientists by teaching them how to collect and record data for an actual long-term research study. The study involves recording when specific leaves on our study trees leaf out in the spring and when they drop their leaves in the fall. The primary essential questions of our particular study are “How long is the growing season in our schoolyard?” and “ How might the length of the growing season relate to climate?”
Dr. John O’Keefe of Harvard Forestry has been studying ‘how the growing season of deciduous trees might be affected by climate change. He has been collecting data for over 18 years. Other organizations, such UNH and Bud Burst have also been collecting and sharing similar data.
At present there are about 20 schools involved with the study. Through Harvard Forestry’s central data collection system, we will we be able to compare data we collect from year to year as well as be able to compare our data to other school’s data. We are one of the few urban school’s involved in the project.
-Sharon Plickert (Middle School Science Teacher)
April 23, 2009 at 9:02 pm
I think that this video was a cool way for us (kids) to understand exactly what our Harvard Forestry Project is all about. I think it was interesting to look at the other tree and I thought it was cool to see on the tree how the leave buds come in between the blossom buds.