I am Ronan and I'm a high school junior in NYC.
I notice that the climate and leaves happening on the map increase and starts decreasing after April.
I wonder if an elevation can possibly get leaves early in January, even though April gets more appearances of leaves in most states. I'm also wondering if a whole area gets leaves and as much as it needs before the other states.
My guess on what's happening here is the climate and elevations get higher and higher in the spring time in order to collect leaves and sunlight for its state and terrain.
The graph shows when the first leaves bloom where. Climate and elevation shape when it happens on average.
Th graph shows that Texas and other southern state are close to the equators and close to the ocean’s . End it was very interesting looking at this graph and interesting to learn about it.
It seems like the graph shows the days from January till May and how leafs are coming out. So i have noticed that most states that are in the south and west south leafs are growing more faster than in north and center america. The latest ones were in April and May and that's mostly the north states.
What makes leafs to come out?
Title: I am a leaf.
@Denys This is great Denys! I also like the graph you chose. It catches the attention. I think that because it is warmer in the south, the trees will blossom earlier which is what makes the first leaf appear. Nice job.
It comes as no surprise to me that the southern states, such as Texas, are among the first states with the "first leaf." This is likely because Texas, as well as other southern states, are very close to the equator. However, it does surprise me that Colorado arrives later than New Jersey. This surprises me because NJ is slightly more north than CO. However, this may be because Colorado has a higher elevation.
After reading this additional information, we learned that this graph is for multiple purposes such as allergies, knowing when to plant crops, keeping us caught up on climate shifts, habitat loss or other environmental factors.
We say, your sightings depend on the amount of people in an area. It seems that spring comes earlier in the southern area like January and comes later in the mountainous areas like May. We never know how or when our spring is gonna come because of how many strange conditions we have in April
This extra information gives us a better understanding of the map and tells us the map incorporates the 30-year average for 1981-2010 of cumulative temperature by date.
The new article gives us a more clear idea of why the southern states receive more leaves and their spring faster than we do. After reading this we realized possibilities that the world offers for a faster spring in southern states, we also learned that places collect phenology data to prove why they contain a faster spring.
In this graph, it seems to show that leaves fall at different times and even in the end spring comes faster for states in the southern part of the united states. Spring doesn't come at the same time for every state.
We feel like, in order to draw a healthy conclusion on spring, at least 10 sightings of green vegetation would be necessary. Overall spring comes earlier to the south, however, in recent years spring has come later to the south, and early to the west coast and some eastern areas. Comparing the two graphs brings up the fact that spring comes earlier and later to the same regions in the U.S.
Hi, @Silas & Aletta --
Regarding your wonder about 10 sightings of spring, the average is based on 30 years of data on several climate measures. They are used to make a mathematical model.
Take a look below where the sources of the model are revealed.
@Moderator Sharon
Will do, thank you!
The new article gives us a better insight into why the southern states hit spring first and why we northern states hit last. Temperates and many other factors affect which states hit spring first, we learned that from the new map.
We noticed that the southern states hit spring first, while the northern states hit it last. This is most likely because the southern states are warmer, and are closer to the equator. And the northern states hit spring later because of the snow, and climate we have, and the area we are in. For example, the western region has the Rocky Mts, which would change the climate, air pressure and more, therefore making their region hit spring in May.
i wonder how so many people reported this data
HI, @Charlotte --
An answer to your wondering is in the reveal that is below. You, too, can collect data for this graph.
I wonder why the east side of the USA is neater meanwhile the west side has different months all over the states.
It is pretty interesting to see the update on this post. It says that it signals where to vacation when allergies come upon us. I wonder what else it could be used for.
i noticed that the aerage leaft fall starts ins in florida and ends in wyoming
We originally thought that the Northern areas getting spring so late was just due to it being in the North but after reading the info in the article saw that it was more affected by the change in climate caused by the melting of Arctic sea ice leading to an even longer winter than the already long winters in the North U.S.
I would name this article,
"Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring!"
This is an okay title; Lets Leaf Winter and Spring Forward
It should have have been called leaves leaves everywhere in the trees and in your hair
I noticed that each month, the first leaf gets larger than the previous month. Except February and March. Only with January and April. And May doesn't really have any first leaf.
Why does the May area sprout last even thought it's not that far north?
I wonder how this graph would be different if it was the 80's. D:
@Maia
Me to
@Maia
That's a great wonder!
To add on to your wonder, I wonder if the months first leaf changes if you look back at the graph from the 80's and the graph of 2019.
We noticed that in the mountainous areas the leaves arrived last (May) because of the higher elevation causing colder temperatures. We wonder how accurate this graph really is. And we believe that the graph shows that spring evolves from the south moving upwards toward the north. A title for this graph may be " A timelapse of spring".
1
I wonder why so many people are interpreting this graph as leaves falling. I think that it is when the leaves grow,
Very interesting viewpoint!
we noticed that the average starts in Florida and ends in Idaho and Wyoming
Here's an 'okay' title: Leaves, It's Time To Spring Into Action!
I wonder why parts of Washington state got their first leaf before parts of New Mexico and Arizona? Arizona and New Mexico are much closer to the equator. From my background knowledge I know that the closer you are to the equator the warmer weather that location would have. Additionally, I would assume leaves grow in warm weather which Arizona and Washington are warmer. However, plants need sunlight so maybe some of Washington got more sunlight than New Mexico and Arizona.
Name idea:
Aloe Spring!
1
@Caroline I love the title idea, good wonder!
HI, @Caroline --
What an interesting notice about Arizona and New Mexico.
And, I notice that Arizona has leaves coming out over a four-month period. I wonder why it's so long. Maybe we should look into its topography.
maybe based on the temp in some states the leaves in those states appear sooner than later. for instance the states in the south easthave leaves appering earlier the the ones in the north west.
I notice that in Maryland the leafs usually arrive in March.
I think this graph is very informational but I wondered why the Pacific coast almost at once was filled.
I noticed that Alaska and Hawaii are not on the map! My honest inference would be that Hawaii might come first and Alaska might come last. In other words, I think this because Alaska is the coldest state in the country and Hawaii is one of the warmest and nicest states in the country.
Please reply if you have any other inferences, on why they might not be on the map!
My title is: Flowers Blooming Across 48 States!
HI, @Ambar G. --
Since this information is collected by a US entity, I wonder why Alaska and Hawaii are not on the map. Maybe you could contact the USA National Phenology Network and find out if there are averages for these two states. If collected, I wonder why they were not shown.
I wonder why some parts of the U.S near Wyoming and Colorado never get leaves?
Maybe its because its to cold there?
i noticed that some parts so of texas grow leaves very early, probobly because texas is very hot
@logan Do you think it has to do with Texas's closeness to the equator?
I wonder if the heat of the sun affects the time of when the leaves start appearing?
I wonder why the mid west takes the longest to get there first leaf
why do some of the first leaf appearance happen so late, some of them only grow in may.
@logan
because of the location and temp of some states which determends when the leaves start to grow.
@logan
I think this is because of the states weather. Or maybe on how much trees/flowers that have had in previous years?
@Logan
Probably because they are farther away from the equator
I notice that Florida get leaves before any other state
@Lorenzo
good observation yes florida has a lot of leaves because of the states geography and climate.
I noticed that the leaves arrived later when the location was further away from from the equator. I noticed that the interactive graph had to factor in the weather also because that affects the leaves.
I wonder why they colors represent each month and if they represent anything in relation to a weather map.
Leaves living at their lovely pace
@Emily
I agree. Why do the particular colors show the months? Why not other colors?
Pink?
Orange.....e.t.c?
@J Ya! I agree also.
I noticed that the southern states received their leaves sooner than the northern states. I wonder why some states in the middle receive leaves later than others. A logical answer to this inquiry would be mountain ranges and precipitation.
I wonder why the mountain ranges got the first leaf last and not first or second.
@Christian Probally becasue the sun is very close
@Christian
Because it is colder and there is less sunlight and dirt to draw with. so they need to wait for the sunlight, and the leaves to rot to make good soil again.
-
Thanks
-
For
-
Sharing
0(-.-)0
@Christian I think that may be because up in the mountains it's colder, so it takes longer for the trees to get warm enough to start the cycle.
I wonder why in some states, there are different months that first leafs where seen. For example, in California, there are first leaf sightings in different months. However in Kansas, there are only first leaf sightings in March.
@Grace good observation Grace I didn't notice that
@Annie Thx <3
I wonder how California, Texas and Florida get first sight of leaves if their states are always warm?
Name ideas:
Are you leafing me?
First sights of leaves
@Kela
since the states are warmer the climate temp and the leaves resond to each other causing the leaves to grow earlier
@Kela,
California, the southern part of Texas, and Florida get leafs first because they are closer to the equator and the warm temperatures you stated helps the trees grow leafs faster. Also I like to title Are You Leafing Me?
@Kela
They get the first flowers because plants need sunlight and love it. So the states with more sunlight will have more plant food and if they have more food they can grow faster.
#Ansertoyourqueshtion
:)
1. Looking at the map, I noticed that the first leaf was seen in the south and slowly moved up north. I wonder if the first leaf was seen in the south first because of the equator.
2. In the places with cities that barely have any plant life like New York city, how can you tell if the first leaf has come? Can you tell by the temputure?
Hello @Maria,
I think that they could tell when New York City and other cities had their first leaf by looking at the suburbs of the city and noticing when the suburbs got their first leaf. In light of this, you could make an inference when the city would get their first leaf. Also, the city does have some trees.
The size of May is small
@H
Because the leaves do not start sprouting there until later, and the rocks are harder to grow in. Adding on,,,, trhis is because where there are mountians it is rocky and colder so it is harder for plants to grow there.
@H
@H
Because the leaves do not start sprouting there until later, and the rocks are harder to grow in. Adding on,,,, this is because where there are mountains it is rocky and colder so it is harder for plants to grow there.
1
@J Thank you
My notice: I notice that near the Rocky Mountains range their 1st leaves were spotted in May
My wonder: I wonder if the temperature is the only thing that matters?
Title idea: Spring has sprung! So have the leaves!
we were ready for spring in january
@Charlotte
.......thats not exactly what the chart is trying to show!!
:)
#thanksforsharing
I also noticed that most of the states first leaf bloom is in April.
@Amir
Me Too!
#greatmindsthinkalike
Also I noticed that the least is in April.
I would love to see the same detail for other continents.
@Corinne
Yeah!! That would be cool. But because we are learning about this continents, Mr. Lee and Ms. Noonan.......it would not be relivant.
I noticed that the "First leaf" arches to the west coast of america except for the "First leaf" in May. The "First leaf" in May was a big clump in the middle of the west and little parts scattered on other places of the U.S.
I wounder why May comes last for some states in the west??
@Zefora
Maybe the climate in the west is colder based on the geography
@Zefora,
Some parts of states in the west grow leafs last because that is the area where the Rocky Mountains are located. It is harder for trees to grow leafs in the harsh and cold environment so that is why they grow in May.
We noticed that the most southern states got leaves before the northern states which is analytically correct. Why did some states in the middle receive leaves later? One reason we can think of is that there is a mountain range in the purple area. We are inferring that this is a timelapse of when leaves are returning in the spring.
@Alex and Levi Why do you think the southern states got leaves first?
Looking at the graph, we noticed that the southern states developed leaves before the northern states. In addition, in the eastern half of the United States, it evolves faster as well. Continuing further, we wonder why the southern states grow faster and the western part of the United States develop leaves slowly. Although, we do believe that this might be due to the weather and/or temperatures and the elevation.
We notice that the South gets its leaves, and then slowly spreads north.
Mark and I wondered, What is the spread of leaves in Hawaii, and Alaska?
We both think the graph is showing the time it takes for leaves to regrow during the spring.
@Mark and Ayla
We think the criteria is fine, but should show the population of trees, and their types/ breeds.
Spring is coming earlier in the "spring foliage" article, this could be because of the global warming.
We've noticed the farther north you go, the later leaves begin to appear.
I wonder if they get sun down south sooner than the north.
What this graph shows the time of year each section of America starts to see it first leaves.
@Jolie & Rex we learned that it shows about the time period were the first signs of spring has sprung based on 30 years of recherche.
We noticed that the southern states got leaves first, and the northern states got leaves last, second to the mountain ranges. We wondered what exact date the leaves would reach us in Wisconsin. We think that what is going in this graph is it is showing us when leaves will get to different areas around the U.S.
We noticed how the southern states received their "first leaf" before the northern states. We wonder why this happens. In this graph, it could be showing when different states transition into spring, which leads the trees to start growing leaves.
We noticed that leaves fell earlier in the year in the southern parts of the United States. We would like to know if the temperatures affect this.
I noticed that the southern states receive leaves before the northern states do, why is that? Does it work the same way as it does with snow? Seeing that northern states display more snow before the southern states do. And how do they know where the leaves may be in May?
I assume why the southern states saw the first leaves first?
@Bella hi
Annie, I have the same notices and wonders as you!
@Annabelle
What did Annie notice?
@A (student)
Annie noticed that she thinks this graph is very informational but I wondered why the Pacific coast almost at once was filled.
As you can see more of the warm and south states saw the first leaves fall like Florida and Texas this makes sense because the warmer states see warmer weather than the northern states.
i see that southern places get the 'first leaf' first, the north later, and randomly near the rocky mountain, the latest. but i wounder why other places get spring earlier then near the rocky mountains.
The graph shows which places get spring earlier, The leafs are going green.
@Sierra it is more clear and easier to understand, also it seams the graph updated to show April more commonly, than the others.
We notice that the more north on the graph you get the later the first leaf appears which indicates that spring is coming. We also notice that towards the left side of the graph by the Rocky Mountains it has the latest times for the first leaf. We wonder if this is because of the higher elevation located in that region which could lead to worse conditions for such growth. What's going on in this graph is the estimated and recorded times of the first leafs seen, those leafs indicate that spring is coming
@Donevan
The updated information helps me view the graph better by providing better information on what goes into the graph to help predict a date for the spring time. Such as how the map is based off of 30 years of historical data.
I noticed that the larger states, have different times they see spring bloom, whereas the smaller states, normally see spring in the same month. I hypothesize this is because the smaller states have less land to cover and the larger states have more.
@Zoe Wow that is a very good hypothesis.
@Zoe
Does the climate in each state effect the times the leaves begin to spring?
@Zoe nice
We notice that in our town the first leaf appears about April 22nd. Something we noticed was that the rocky mountains did not have the first leaf until later. We think this because of the difference in temperatures. Also, the "First leaf appearance" graph speeds up in spots and slows down in other locations. Overall, the southern states get the "first leaf" first because they are by the equator.
@Vanessa and Traci
The new post confirms are ideas on how the first leaf works.
The title should be, "It's time to leaf winter and spring forward!"
3
@Joey my teacher says you are clever
@Joey WOW that is a very good title.
@Olivia
This is Joey's teacher. I think he's really clever too!
One thing we noticed in the graph was that spring comes sooner and the places that had higher elevations and the places that are farther north get spring faster. One question that we had was what sources did they use to get this information? The thing that we noticed that was going on in the graph was that it showed one when spring would come to the different regions of the U.S.
I noticed that the southern states will be getting the 'first leaf' appearance rather than the northern states. I wonder what causes the strange placement of purple areas on the map. Is it the altitude? This graph shows that spring moves from the south of the United States to the Northern part. A good title for this graph may be, "An Evolution of Spring."
@Amber and Mel
It involves the science of seasons and the study of the life cycle in plants and animals. It also includes part of the environmental asspects such as tempurature precipitation and day length.
Is why Washington state and Oregon have early blooming months, because of the rain in those regions and because even during the rain there is sun
1
@Reinier that is a good point. I think because of the mountains and the sun and rain. But it does have that good of a temperature up there though
Title: The Bloom Of Spring
I wonder why April covers up the most area
@Ryan, I think April covers most of the USA because it's further away from the equator.
I noticed that the state of Washington Had 3 different colors representing, March, February, and April! That was so cool to see! I never knew that was possible! Additionally, Texas also had three colors representing, January, February, and also March! This really made me wonder.
A title could be Spring "blooms".
Notice: In the southern parts of the U.S.A. the first leaves come first, because it is closest to the equator and leaves need warmth to grow.
Wonder: What months do Alaska and Hawaii bloom their first leaves in.
My catchy title would be Heaps of leaves
@Emma that could be a catchy title....😂😂😂
@Emma haha made me laugh but that my work as a title
@Emma That is an awesome title 😂😎👍
This graph shows how early and late spring comes in different areas. As the map starts, it gets closer and closer to the equator. This shows the change in the seasons of different areas. We notice a change in the map as it stops right at Montana and Wyoming. These indicate the states that have a colder temperature and longer winter than other states. We believe that this map is great way of showing the seasons through out the states.
I wonder why Minnesota Had a bit of spring blooming in may also Maine has that too?
@Arick
This could happen because the temperature has different ranges througout one state.
What do you notice: We noticed that on the graph the more Northern areas of it took much longer for leaves to sprout than the more southern areas.
What do you wonder: We wonder what this graph would look like if it were to show how long snow has been in each area.
What Might be going on in this graph: Spring is Coming Slower Than Ever in Northern U.S.! This is supported by how the graph shows the northern areas getting leaves much later than say the southern areas of the U.S.
@Carson and Dawson
I think it would last the longest in the north because it is farther away from the equator. That also means that it is less warm in the winter. The southern states are closer to the equator so the snow would not last as long.
We wonder if the graph is portraying a sudden "Wave of Warmness" and due to the altitude of the mountain area, if that would affect the climate and when spring would arrive.
@Owen and Madison After viewing the explination, we believe that the graph is more related to temperatures.
I wonder what month Hawaii would have the first leaves.
@Tushaar Pal
Do you think Hawaii would be one of the first states that leaves appear?
@Grace B I think the Hawaii could Ben one of the first because it is the warmest and most southern
@Grace B
It could be because Hawaii is not so northern however, since it is not connected to the U.S.A it might be completely different. Also since someone else noticed that the west blooms slower than the north, east, and south Hawaii could be slower for blooming too.
I noticed in the west the states had different times of blooming.
Spring? Where, When?
@Caleb
This is my title
@Caleb its over there
I notice that California has all 5 months included. I wonder why May is more south than April. The south areas ares supposed to bloom before the more northern parts.
@Siddharth I also notice that Nevada has all five months. January and February in the south, March and April in the center, and a little bit of May scattered around the center and west.
Something we noticed is that where the leaves first appear in May it is in the mountainous areas. @Siddharth
Here are some ideas:
First 5 months of leaves
Leaves, leaves, and more leaves
Beleaf it or not!
I notice the western side has all different first leaf appearances and the eastern side has consistent first leaf appearances.
I wounder what this map would look like in the 1700's without pollution and global warming
My headline is Aloe Spring!
@Caroline That's so good!
@Sloane thanks so much!
I wonder If global warming could have to do leaf growth happening later in the year for the northern side. Maybe The temperature could make it harder for plants to grow via leaves.
That is a good point because I knew that Florida is a warm state and leaves bloomed in January.
@Diego I think that this is a good point, because global warming can have many impacts and changes to our country and earth.
@Diego I wonder that same thing diego. That is a good point
I noticed that the leaves grow first in Florida during Jan.
I think the title of this graph should be ¨The First Leaves Appearing In Different Parts, And Months Of The Year¨
@J cool
I have noticed that May has the smallest amount of first leaf appearance and April has the largest. I wonder why the northeastern part of Washington has first leaf before the rest of Washington. A catchy title I have is 'The Growing Leaves'
1
I think a catchy title could be
Time it Takes for the "first Leaves" to grow
I noticed:
- each color represented the month
- the leaves grow quickly on the east and not as fast on the west
I wondered
- why did the the leaves grow slower in the west
-why may took longer
Catchy title name Growth of the leaves
Why is it that the east coast is so different from the west coast? The west coast is so rugged, and the east is in nice lines.
I notice that in the lower Texas area and LA,The leaves begin to show first in January,and in the Dakotas,Minnesota,Montana and others in the north,the leaves show surprisingly late.I wonder why the order of leaves falling go from the south to north,instead of the east to west. I also wonder if the Leaf growth could have to do with global warming,Like if the temperature becomes troublesome for leaves to sprout
I notice that the average ‘First Leaf’ appearance starts in Texas in January. It ends in May at the top of the states.
I wonder why the May 'First Leaf' ends up halfway across the United States. I also wonder why they don't have Alaska and Hawaii. I wonder why the 'First Leaf' shows up faster in some places than others.
The story of this graph is telling what time spring is coming in areas in some spots.
A catchy headline for this graph could be "May Flowers: An Evolution of Spring."
I was wondering if this would look different if it was from the 1900's because of climate change. Moreover I wonder why in the west area is slower.
I noticed that northern areas see first leaves later than the southern because it is colder in the north. Additionally, I wonder why on the coast there are mixed first leaf appearances.
I notice that the southern states receive their first leaf appearances before any of the western states. I think this is because of the weather and temperature.
@Maia I agree Maia
@Maia Good idea
I wonder why Wyoming was the last place in the USA to get leaves even though Wyoming is not the most northern state?
@Caroline
True but at the same time I disagree, Montana blooms last as well and that is one of the most northern states.
I noticed:
the western side for example California, grows greens fast then the northern side. The south also grows greens faster.
I wonder:
Why do some parts of the U.S.A greens grow faster then the others. Is it weather or sunlight
Another wonder is what would the map look like in the past. For example in the 1970s?
I noticed that:
- The western coast was spread out and scattered, whereas the eastern and most central states were spread out more flatly or thoroughly.
I wonder what this map would look like in the 1700-1800 without global warming
@Drew
Same that would be a new point of view.
@Drew I would think very different
The western side looks really scrambled and the eastern side looks very consistent
@Cooper
I had the same notices and wonders!
The southern states get flowers, and plants earlier than the northern states. Also I noticed that the western states have more diversity in when they sprout. Additionally, where we live, in MD the flowers, and greenery ARE blooming And sprouting when the chart says so. Therefore I can infer that this chart is accurate.
1
Wonder: Why do the leaves appear earlier in the southern states?
@Kaitlyn
I think they appear earlier in the southern states because it warmer in the south.
My group and I noticed:
That Florida gets their leaves first
April has the largest area
May has the smallest area
America is divided by time/months
We notice that the graph is a first leaf appearance. we notice that January is the month with the least leaves. April has the most percentage of leaf fall. we also notice that the graph has no number percentage.
I noticed that:
The graph shows what month leaves grow in which states
The states closer to the equator grew leaves first.
The graph doesn't show Alaska or Hawaii
April has the largest area
There is a slow growing spot towards the west
I wondered:
Why does the west part grow slower?
What about Alaska and Hawaii?
I just noticed that we don't get leaves until April and we are from WI. I noticed that leaves don't and the united states are being split in different places
Notice:
The eastern part of the USA is northern to southern. However, the western part of the USA is more scattered.
Wonder:
What would this graph look like in the 50's
@Caroline
I too wonder what it would look like when there was poorer quality air and jobs and technology.
when the leaves grow
@Name (required) in summer
We noticed that the southern tip of Florida was the first to have the first sign of spring. Another thing we noticed is Wyoming and Colorado was the last states to have the last spring sign, the two states were mostly covered, but they had a little bit left that was white after all the other states were covered.
We wonder what states will be fully covered first next year. Another thing we wonder is why some of the states are half covered by one color for one month, and the other half is covered from another month, like example, California.
What we think might be going on in the graph is that it is showing us the first sign of spring, and how long it can take other states to have a first sign of spring based on where it is located.
I wonder why May is so far over
I noticed that it's moving up and it moves the most in April and the least in January or May.
I wonder if May it will expand more or faster in May.
I think it's expanded more in April then may because it may be warmer in the north than the west
The graph shows is what months the leaves start to grow back in each region of the U.S. I noticed that the Southernmost area of the U.S. is getting leaves earlier in the year than in the further north states and that the graph doesn't show Hawaii or Alaska. I wonder what the different colors represent.
We noticed :
This graph talks about leafs falling
April has the has more leafs falling compared to others
The states are divided by the months of the year
Janiuary is the shortest percentage
We wondered:
What are the percentages
What the colors represent
2
HI, @John Ruiz Student --
You say that "This graph talks about leaves falling." I wonder where you see evidence of leaves falling. Think about the graph's title published just above it.
@Moderator Sharon, It is about the first signs of them growing not falling
@Moderator Sharon
I agree with you.
Hi, We are a third grade class from Juneau, AK, and we are learning how to read infographics.
We noticed:
- This map did not show AK or HI. :(
- The title told us this graphic was about leafs falling.
- The first leave appearances moved from south to north (mostly).
- May leaf appearances were very spread out and small.
- February has 28 days.
We wondered:
- Why there were so many colors?
- When the first leaf appearance is for AK and HI?
- Why does May look the way it does?
A catchy title we thought of was "As the Leafs grow."
Thank you for reading our thoughts!!
2
@Ms. Coenraad's Class
You noticed some things nobody else has mentioned. Now I also wonder why AK and HI were left off the map! You also had some great questions. Did you look at what part of the U.S. sees the first leaf in May? What is special about that region?
Good morning, @Ms. Coenraad's Class --
Thank you for your noticings and wonderings. I, too, wonder about why Alaska and Hawaii are not shown on the map. Maybe the National Phenology Network does not collect data for these two states or maybe the states did not fit on the page.
If you want to know why Alaska is not included, how about searching the National Phenology Network map site. I see that the Monitoring Design & Data Coordinator is Ellen Denny ([email protected]). I bet she can give you an answer.
I bet the NPN will answer your wondering. Please do share what you find out.
Thank you for your great question.
@Moderator Sharon
They didn't show Alaska because they don't have that many flowers and plants! :)
I notice immediately that the states closest to the equator tend to experience their first leaf before the more northern territories. This is a combination of generally warm weather, the new spring season, and how cold the weather in each respective territory remains throughout the early spring. I wonder if global warming has a significant effect on how quickly or slowly the leafs appear on the trees, and further, flowers or fruits on the trees. A title for this graph could be "May Flowers: An Evolution of Spring."
HI, @Carina P. --
It seems in general that the regions closest to the equator experience spring first. But, the regions by month are not straight lines. In fact, the blue of March goes north to the west and the yellow of April goes south to the west.
I wonder why this is so. What do you know about these regions that could explain why months intermingle?
@Moderator Sharon
I also wonder how this graph wold look differently if it were the eighties, because of global warming and all.
@Carina P.
Your right. Thanks for sharing
Thanks to all who responded. Love the catchy headlines that capture the main ideas of the graph: "I can't beLEAF spring is here!" from Mia D., "Springing to Life" by Kaitlyn G., "The Coloring of America: A 5 Month Process" from Olivia C., and "Blooming into Spring" by Madison S.
You can continue to post responses. Please check back tomorrow -- Thursday afternoon, April 4 to see the Reveal with a link to the original New York Times article, some questions about the graphs, and a Stat Nugget.
The next graph will be released tomorrow -- THURSDAY, APRIL 4, with moderation on WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10. You may respond before, during, or after the live moderation by going to “What's Going On In This Graph?”
Also, you can view the March 20 webinar about teaching with graphs from The New York Times. Go to https://webinars.on24.com/nyt/Graphs?partnerref=OnDemand.
Signing off – Sharon Hessney in Boston, who is an Arnold Arboretum Tree Spotter for the USA National Phenology Network (her sightings are in this graph), Erica Chauvet of Pittsburgh of Pittsburgh, who is looking forward to those green leaves of spring and Corey Andreasen of Doha, Qatar, who is glad the temperatures have not hit 100 degrees Fahrenheit yet.
This graph Is showing the average "first leaf" appearance throughout the United States. I noticed that it seems the that some of the south shown in green sees there first leaf in January and as moving up it from the green region from January to April. So it is showing that the southern points see the the first leaf first and as you move norther the months are April and may. This makes sense because the southern areas are relatively warmer. I wonder why the midwest areas don't see the first leaf appearance until around May. A catchy headline for this graph could be leafing up. Showing from the bottom to the top of the map the leaves showing up.
@Tina R Can you think of anything about those purple parts of the country that might make the leaves come out later?
@Tina R
This is ok. I think you put s lot of time into it! Thanks for sharing your thoughts! :)
@Moderator Corey
I think that since the purple parts are the colder areas of the us, the leaves grow slower.
This graph is excellent in explaining what parts of the country see their first leaves. This is a nice visual in explaining how being closer to the equator causes leaves to spring sooner. I do wonder, however, about the impacts that cause coastal and landlocked areas to have leaves sooner or later. For example, I see coastal areas sprouting leaves early even if they are not necessarily the most southern regions.
@Ellie G
I like how you related what you wonder to something specific that you noticed. Do you have any conjectures about what would cause coastal areas to sprout sooner than other areas at the same latitude?
@Ellie G!
I am digging your thoughts! I like your thinking on how this graph might be explaining what parts of the country see their first leaves! I 100% agree with you on that. I love your strong word choice, such as ¨impacts¨ or ¨landlocked¨ This really helped me understand your thinking deeper. Our thoughts are very simillar. Moreover, I would be pleased if you came up with a title for this! I think you would do a extraordinary job!
Thank you for considering my thoughts.
Sincerely,
@AmbarG
This graph illustrates the time periods in which regions of our country saw their "first leaf," an indication that spring has sprung! The first thing I noticed was that the more south a state is on a map, the earlier it sees its first leaf. This makes sense as the more south a state is, the closer it is to the ecuator, making it warmer. I do wonder however why certain regions in the midwest experience spring later than others. It's a very disorganized pattern, too. The creators of this graph were very creative in terms of the animation they added as it shows the progression of states that experienced spring. A good title for this graph could be "I can't beLEAF spring is here!"
@Mia D.
I love the title! You noticed the irregularities in the progression. What are some things that might account for that? What else besides latitude would affect the temperature?
The first thing I noticed about this graph is the fact that the appearance of the first leaf for the most part went from South to North at a relatively steady rate. This certainly makes sense, since the Southern parts of the country are closer to the equator, and therefore, they are warmer. However, I wonder why the areas in the Midwest saw their first leaf in May, a month or two later than many states that are located further North. The animation of the graph really brings this to the attention of the person studying it, because the areas of the Midwest are the last parts of the white map to be colored in. A good headline for this graph could be "Springing to Life" because it displays the gradual process of leaves and trees that are blooming to their fullest potential in the country.
1
@Kaitlyn G
Nice noticing and wondering! I also love your headline, "Springing to Life." I can see that the mountains and relative position to the coast affect when spring begins, but it is interesting that the east coast responds differently than the west coast.
@Kaitlyn G hey kaitlyn this is a very well comment that you have written about this graph. i like the amount of effort that you put to understand this graph and it seems like you understand it well. i agree on most of the things that you have said. but i dont agree with the title you created for this. first of all the plants where living to begin with and second some of the months occur during the winter not spring. but other then that i like your comment.
@justien Thank you very much! You are right, the plants were always living, but I was just referring to the leaves. However, I can see how this can be misleading, so thank you for bringing it to my attention!
This graph shows the progression of the flowering buds of spring up through the nation. The process begins in the far southern regions as soon as January. The growing buds soon spreads northward on the eastern side of the nation as the state of California blooms into spring. The last place in the continental US to have its "first leaves" is the mid-west, which represents that the mid-west stays colder for the longest amount of time in the Continental US. A good title for this graph would be "Blooming into Spring".
1
Wow! This is the first interactive graph I have seen on this learning platform. It is quite fitting since spring has sprung! I really enjoy this visual because it led me to notice that the areas of the United States that are colored first are closest to the equator. I wonder why the purple colored areas have leaves appear after the the yellow colored areas, considering they are lower, closer to the green colored states. I also am curious about why the West Coast has such varied colors. I never realized it took approximately five months for all 50 states to experience spring, with its fullest leaves. May 31- in my New Jersey-mindset- is closer to summer. A catchy phrase for this time lapse could be "The Coloring of America: A 5 Month Process".
1
@Olivia C
Nice noticing and wondering! I suspect that the purple areas may experience spring later due to altitude as well as latitude. I do find it surprising, as well, that the west coastal areas experience the start of spring in a manner that is different than the east coastal areas, which tend to follow the horizontal pattern.
I notice that the graph is animated, graph is color coded, and it goes from January through May. I wonder what the different colors on the graph represent. In this graph it is showing the regions where spring has sprung. My title is “Spring Has Sprung in the U.S.”
@K
I think the different colors represent the months.
@K when the green and red appeared I thought that the colors would change in the way that the colors of the leaves change. However, leaves aren't blue or purple so the colors might just be random.
@MiaF
If you were picking the colors, what would you have chosen?
Newspapers try to offer headlines that grab the reader's attention. They tend to be shorter and have a zing -- something that the reader would not expect. Maybe it surprises the reader with either surprise or shock.
Always the headlines come from evidence in the graph and not other information or opinion.
What do you propose?
I notice that the graph is color coordinated possibly to leaf color... or season
I wonder why there is a small area in the north that has leaves before the rest of the states around it?
I wonder why is that in the West Coast it's so variated of colors?
Title: Warmer Weather Sooner?
@Leo interesting observations about how a certain area in the north has leaves before the other states around it! Do you think this could anything to do with the altitude of this area in question?
Your other question could also relate to altitude since the area over where the Rocky Mountains would fall appears to bloom the latest. These areas have a higher altitude and tend to be colder.
@Leo
I am sorry to break it to you but leaves are not purple or blue. Each color represents each month.
@Leo I love this comment but this is not color coordinated with the leaves there is no possible way that there is blue or purple colored leaves
Welcome to Wednesday's moderation of “What’s Going On in This Graph?”
Today’s graph shows the 30-year average date across the country for the first sign of spring – leaves.
From 9 am – 2 pm E.T. today, share with us your responses online to these three questions -- "What do you notice?", "What do you wonder?", and "What's going on in this graph?"
Plus, please share with us a catchy headline that captures the ideas about the graph.
On Thursday afternoon, we’ll reveal the article that included this graph and much more. We look forward to reading your discoveries.
The next “What’s Going On in This Graph?” will be released tomorrow -- Thursday, April 4 with moderation on Wednesday, April 10. The topic – summer pop songs.
Also, to view the March 20 webinar about teaching with graphs from The New York Times, go to https://webinars.on24.com/nyt/Graphs?partnerref=OnDemand
The graph displays the average time when leaves begin to appear throughout the U.S. Leaves are a sign of the beginning of spring and the changing of seasons. The leaves seem to start appearing at the bottom of the graph (the south) and move up (north). The leaves begin to appear in the south first due to the warmer climate in the south. I notice that leaves begin to appear in parts of Washington and Oregon before other parts of the north so I wonder if certain parts of those states have a warmer climate earlier in the year? A title for this graph could be “ Springing into Spring"
@Grace B nice response! What do you think accounts for the difference in the blooming of foliage on the east coast where the line moves up in a rather organized way compared to the west coast, where the colors seem less structured?
1
This is a very interesting graph. I like how it is animated to show the progression of the beginning of spring as indicated by the "first leaf" appearance. The pattern going from the South to the North is as expected. However, the pattern does not remain consistent on the West coast. Parts of Wyoming, Colorado, and Idaho are the last to have a "first leaf" appearance. A good title for this could be "Spring has Sprung Around the Country."
@MiaF
It is interesting that the areas near the west coast, even far north experience spring earlier than the areas along the east coast. Any idea why this is happening?
@MiaF
hello mia! I like you title for this graph I as well agree this is a very interesting graph. The animation makes it more engaging.
I notice that there is pretty colors.
I wonder why some of the first leafs where in May?
@I am a doge potato Some of the first leafs were in May maybe due to the warmer climate May brings.
@I am a doge potato I like your name. Some first leaves are in may because the sun and the tempature at that location.
@I am a doge potato I think the leaves are in May because of mountains. The colors are pretty though
it was very interesting graph that i thought told me about the change of seasons
@lil zachy What do you think this time lapse would look like during the Winter change of season?
@lil zachy, how do you think data presented in the graph was collected?
@lil zachy
its not the change of seasons its the first leaf appearance
I notice the colors start in the south.
I wonder if this is because the leaves change colors first in the south?
"Changing Leaves" would be my caption
@Chris Good observation about how the leaves first change in the South! Do you think this has anything to do with the warm climate of the South relative to the other diverse climates of the country?
I notice that leaves appear earlier the farther you go down south.
I wonder why there is a small area in the north that has leaves before the rest of the states around it
@Dakota
Thanks for participating in WGOITG! I wonder what "small area in the north" you are referring to?
@Dakota Because the pattern of starting down South and then going North is inconsistent throughout the nation, I think that it has to do with the types of trees in those areas.
I notice that the leaves in the southern states or states in the southeast and southwest have their leaves bloom early compared to the northern regions. I wonder why this is the case?
Maybe its because the southern states are closer to the equator which allows more sun exposure. This speeds up the growth and allows leaves to bloom earlier and faster.
@Jett I agree! The closer one is to the equator, the more intense the sun exposure, which relates to speedier growth. Did the interactive time lapse of this graph lead you to this hypothesis? It certainly did so for me!
@Jett, your inference sounds spot on! I am wondering how you define the "first leaf" -- the first leaf of a plant or tree, fully blooming or beginning to flourish, and other parts of the definition of that nature?
I notice that the closer to the equator you get leaves earlier you get leaves and on the Pacific ocean you they get leaves early. Mountain rages sperate when places get their leaves.
@Ryan This is a great observation about the blooming of leaves relative to the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans! Why do you think the leaves bloom so much faster when they are located on the Pacific Coast rather than the Atlantic Coast?
While Spring is only beginning to emerge here in N.J., I notice that many states across the nation are already well into its midst. The Southern portion of the country, in particular, -- including all of Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North and South Carolina repset lively and parts of Arizona and California -- boasts witnessing the first signs of Spring as early as January and February, on average. A horizontal slice running through the middle of the U.S., spanning approximately from the top of texas to middle of Nebraska vertically and from Nevada to New Jersey horizontally, is said to possess an average date of the “first leaf” appearance in March. I notice that the remaining upper one-third of the U.S. typically encounters the first signs of Spring by early April, leading into about Mid-May. One element of this graph I like, is its use of different colors to display which parts of the country begin to experience Spring when. The first question that comes to mind when analyzing this graph, is why do the Southernmost states feel the effects of Spring first, and the Northernmost parts last? What is the science behind this pattern? Also, How does the official first day of Spring, or the vernal equinox, correlate with when different states witness the “first leaf”?
1
@Hannah K
Nice noticing and wondering. It certainly would be interesting to compare the when spring has surfaced over the recent past as a way of measuring global warming. It might also be interesting to see when the effects of fall take place.
@Hannah K Analyzing this graph in order to assist in a global warming study is such an awesome idea! You really took something simple and applied it to a critical modern-day issue. Way to be innovative!
(Cont'd)
While I know that the first day of Spring is determined by the vernal equinox, which is when the sun crosses over the plane of the earth’s equator making night and day approximately equal lengths around the world, what effects might global warming have on the official first day of Spring? How might this graph be improved to showcase the correlation between when a state sees its first leaf and the official first day of Spring, as well as how the first day might change (i.e., occur sooner or later) due to the rising temperature of our earth’s atmosphere?
Headline: Warmer Weather on the Way: When Will Spring Surface in Your Neck of the Woods?
1
Our 6th grade math class noticed:
"There is one area in the Midwest that starts way later than other areas at the same latitude."
"The first week in Florida is still in winter"
"The latitude of the areas In March when the first leaf falls lines up with where Japan is."
We are wondering:
"What is your definition of 'first leaf'?"
"How did you collect this data?"
"What time period did you get this average from?"
"What's going on with that area in the Midwest? Is there a difference in elevation causing the late first leaf?"
"Is this roughly the same in other countries with the same elevation?"
We think:
"Precipitation/climate probably effects the first leaf."
1
@Ms. Scotia
Thanks for participating in WGOITG! Your students did a fantastic job of noticing and wondering. Many of the answers to the questions the students have wondered about can be found in the article, when it is revealed. I think that your students are onto something when they think that precipitation and climate probably effect the first leaf.
@Ms. Scotia
I think that they mean by first leaf is the first leaf fall. But I as well wonder what is happening in the mid west and why the first leaf appearance occurred so late
@Tina R it is about them growing not falling
I notice that the western border and southern states first leaves appear much earlier than those of the northern states.
I wonder why the first leaves begin appearing in the southernmost states as opposed to the northern states.
I know that the southern states are much closer to the equator than the northern states which allows for much more exposure to the sun. This extra exposure speeds up the growth rate for plants to sprout leaves which is why the states closest to the equator have their first leaves appearing the earliest.
@Jesse I also believe the reason why the southern states get spring faster is because they are closer to the equator.
I think you make a great observation here as to why the trend in the graph occurs! How do you think the pattern exhibited here in the U.S. differs from other countries around the world?
@Hannah K
ya thats smart
Notice and wonder is teh key to the data collected for the phenology shown in this graph. It's what I do all day long with my Art of Paying Attention pieces that I create as a wildlife illustrator, storyteller, and certified Environmental Educator. I invite everyone to do the same. Students and teachers are welcome to look and listen to my NPR pieces at https://www.bethsurdut.com/critters.html