Fall Scavenger Hunt
by Mary Gadek, Dakota County Master Gardener
Come join the adventure of a fall scavenger hunt as a Junior Fall Garden Detective! Teach the child in your life how to detect the arrival of autumn in Minnesota. Read along here for a guide to gathering clues and using some scientific observations in an outdoor search to confirm fall’s arrival.
It is time for all Junior Fall Garden Detectives to investigate how we know that fall has returned to our yards and gardens. Let’s find the clues, scientific observations, and evidence your child can collect about fall. Then, participate in a scavenger hunt revealing autumn’s cool air, shorter daylight, and changes in gardens, creatures, and our lives.
CLUES
As the seasons change from summer to fall, the air temperatures drop and the days get shorter. Look for these clues to determine when the seasons change:
● Air temperatures. The Minnesota average temperatures on September 1 are 77 degrees daytime, 59 degrees nighttime. By November 1, the temperatures have decreased to an average of 50 degrees daytime, 35 degrees nighttime.
● Daylight. From the start of school in early September through the end of September, you may have noticed less daylight each day as you hop on your school bus in the morning until you are playing at the park at the end of the day. Daylight on average decreases by one hour and 15 minutes from August 1 through October 15. The equinox is when the days and nights are said to be equal in length for the entire globe. For the Northern Hemisphere, (the northern half of the world), where Minnesota is located, the fall equinox will be on September 22, 2024, at approximately 7:43 am, kicking off the start of the season.
EVIDENCE
Some scientific observations, or evidence, of the seasonal changes may include:
● Trees. Trees and bushes are dropping an array of leaves with bright reds, yellows, oranges, and browns. Burning bush (or Euonymus alatus), along with oaks and maple trees create intense red leaves. River birch and yellow poplar trees have showy yellow displays in the fall.
● Plants. Flowers and plants around the yard have lost their blooms and dropped their leaves as their energy returns to their roots below the ground. The final fruits of many plants are ready for harvest, like apples and pumpkins.
● Creatures. The arrival of fall invites the creatures in your yard, or local park, to either migrate to the warmer south or prepare to hunker down for the Minnesota winters by making nests or dens. Birds, like Canadian geese, wood ducks, and the loon, form flocks and fly south. Look up to the autumn sky as the migrating birds fly in a triangular formation to head to warmer locations. Butterflies, like the monarch, partake in a long journey to winter in warm Mexico. You may notice that the butterflies are no longer to be found in the garden. Other animals, insects, and birds remain in Minnesota during the winter by hibernating, or sleeping, in covered areas or under the brush of the colorful fallen leaves and nearby evergreens. Look closely, squirrels are collecting seeds and acorns to save up for their winter meals.
SOLVE
Now, it’s time for a fun expedition outside in your yard, neighborhood, or local park to search for these clues and evidence of fall and its impact on our daily lives. See the attached printable Junior Fall Detective Scavenger Hunt here for an activity for your child.
Read: The Very Hungry Catepillar’s First Fall by Eric Carle, to help the younger child understand the concepts of fall.
Or go to the Dakota County library and check out the book:
ISBN: 9780593384763
Photo Credit: Mary Gadek (1,2,3)