Journey North: A Global Study of Wildlife Migration and Seasonal Change
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/season/
It’s that time of year again, when animals in the western hemisphere begin their annual migrations northward. Observe these journeys in near real-time on the long-standing website produced by Annenberg Learner, a division of the Annenberg Foundation. This is a free, Internet-based program exploring the “interrelated aspects of seasonal change” since 1997.
There are many ways to use the data provided by the “citizen scientists” who sign up to report their observations of migrations and seasonal changes. The spring checklist of animals can be found here: http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/ChecklistSpring.html
Follow the migrations of the Monarch butterfly, Whooping crane, Rufous or Ruby-throated hummingbird, gray whale, and many others.
In some adult education programs, learners choose a migrating animal and periodically check the website to learn about the animal and track the migration of that species. There are opportunities to practice reading of charts and maps, to analyze data, and to learn about biology, sunlight and seasonal change. You don’t need to be in/under a migratory pathway to observe these natural occurrences.
As Journey North states: “Whether groundhogs or grizzly bears, hummingbirds or Whooping cranes, the tiniest insects or the greatest whales, spring touches everything in its path.”
Have you used this site? Please check it out and let us know. (Note: there is a section for “kids”, but it is easily avoided…or adult learners can be encouraged to use it with their children.)