Feeling the Sting of Climate Change

Notes from our reviewers

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• Teaching Tips
  Spring green-up timing events could be examined over time for students to compare data themselves. Students could also participate in their own community to educate the public about more sustainable practices around the neighborhood. This video could be embedded in any lesson on plants ecosystems phenology. The HoneyBeeNet citizens science website ([http://honeybeenet.gsfc.nasa.gov/]) is a great way for students to see how important data can be collected by non-scientists. Teachers could include with this video a discussion of what green-up starting "half-a-day earlier" globally means on a global scale vs. what might be the case on a local/regional scale.
• About the Science
  In the Spring, farms and fields go through a symphony of pollination and the animals that feed on the pollen and nectar are going through changes. The Spring green-up is a global phenomenon that can be seen from space using satellites. Video time-lapse visuals show how green our planet typically is - but the green-up is starting earlier - the likely cause is our warming climate. Comments from expert scientist: Scientific strengths: - Shows importance of satellite imagery in detecting temporal and spacial greenery on the planet - Explains how the weight of hives can show pollination patterns - Demonstrates importance of ground data and satellite data simultaneously - Explains that plants and pollinators could move out of sync - plants don't get pollinated and bees don't get fed - Modern agriculture depends on bees, which means we depend on bees for food
• About the Pedagogy
  The video is short and can easily supplement an existing curriculum that addresses changes on Earth as evidence of climate change - specifically linked with something common like bees.
• Technical Details/Ease of Use
  Visual images are great and well-paired with the content.