The activities are as follows: With their orange wings outlined with black lines and white dots, monarch butterflies are one of the most recognizable insects in North America. They are known for their seasonal migration when millions of monarch butterflies migrate from the United States and Canada south to Mexico in the fall. Then, in the spring
plants
Buried seeds, buried treasure
One of the world’s longest-running science experiments lies hidden in the soil beneath Michigan State University’s campus. Over 100 years ago, a scientist named William J. Beal had a question: how long do seeds survive underground? To find out, he started an experiment. In 1879 he filled 20 bottles with sand and seeds from local
How milkweed plants defend against monarch butterflies
The activities are as follows: For millions of years, monarch butterflies have been antagonizing milkweed plants. Although adult monarchs drink nectar from flowers, their caterpillars only eat milkweed leaves, which harms the plants. This is an ecological interaction called herbivory. The only food for monarchs is milkweed leaves, meaning they have evolved to be highly specialized, picky
Getting to the roots of serpentine soils
Teacher Guide Student activity, Graph Type A, Level 2 Student activity, Graph Type B, Level 2 Student activity, Graph Type C, Level 2 Scientist Profile on Project Biodiversify Grading Rubric When an organism grows in different environments, some traits change to fit the conditions. For example, if a houseplant is grown in the shade, it
Fertilizer and fire change microbes in prairie soil
The activities are as follows: Stepping out into a prairie feels like looking at a sea of grass, with the horizon evoking a sense of eternity. Grasses and other prairie plants provide important benefits, such as creating habitat for many unique plants, mammals, insects, and microbes. They also help keep our water clean by using nutrients from the soil
Mangroves on the move
The activities are as follows: Teacher Guide Student activity, Graph Type A, Level 2 Student activity, Graph Type B, Level 2 Student activity, Graph Type C, Level 2 Grading Rubric All plants need nutrients to grow. Sometimes one nutrient is less abundant than others in a particular environment. This is called a limiting nutrient. If the limiting
Where to find the hungry, hungry herbivores
The activities are as follows: Teacher Guide Student activity, Graph Type A, Level 2 Student activity, Graph Type B, Level 2 Student activity, Graph Type C, Level 2 Grading Rubric Éste Data Nugget también está disponible en Español: Actividad para estudiantes, Tipo de gráfica A Actividad para estudiantes, Tipo de gráfica B Actividad para estudiantes, Tipo
A window into a tree’s world
The activities are as follows: According to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the years 2015-2018 were the warmest recorded on Earth in modern times! And it is only expected to get warmer. Temperatures in the Northeastern U.S. are projected to increase 3.6°F by 2035. Every year the weather is a
The carbon stored in mangrove soils
The activities are as follows: Teacher Guide Student activity, Graph Type A, Level 2 Student activity, Graph Type B, Level 2 Student activity, Graph Type C, Level 2 Grading Rubric In the tropics and subtropics, mangroves dominate the coast. There are many different species of mangroves, but they are all share a unique characteristic compared to other trees
Testing the tolerance of invasive plants
The activities are as follows: Casey is a biologist who grew up with dogs as pets. His dogs were all the same species and had some things in common – they all had a tail, ears, and fur. But, each dog also had its own unique appearance – tail length, ear shape, and fur color. These