Home | Iowa Science Phenomena

Welcome to the Iowa Science Phenomena website! The goal of this website and service is to create, curate, collect and share a growing collection of user-generated, media-based, standards aligned, science phenomena resources for use in Iowa classrooms, as well as support Iowa teachers as they continue to implement phenomena-based and place-based teaching practices.

There are several ways you can be involved in this project:

Browse or search the site to find an Iowa-based phenomenon to align to your learning standard.
Grow your phenomena skills and knowledge with our Iowa Science Phenomena Teacher Guide.
Equip your students to engage their own curiosity and be phenomenon-finders for themselves with the Iowa Science Phenomena Student Guide.
Capture and share your phenomena to the project.

Questions? Please contact us at phenomena@iowapbs.org.

Iowa Core Standard

Disciplinary Core Idea

Image of white growths on goldenrod plants.

Goldenrod Galls

White growths (galls) on the stems of the plant allow plant growth while the fly eggs develop inside.

Image of tree with metal tags attached to it.

Emerald Ash Borer Tagged Trees

These images show a tree with an Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) tag and the...

Image of exposed tree roots.

Tree Roots and Erosion

Tree roots that would normally be underground but have been exposed due to erosion.

Image of mist on a lake surface.

Lake Mist

Mist is visible over an Iowa lake.

Image of fallen tree chewed by animals.

Animals as Loggers

Several trees that have been cut down or stripped of their bark due to animal activity

Image of newly built field terrace.

Field Tiling and Terraces

These images show Iowa fields that have been altered with tiling and...

Image of buds on tree branch.

Backyard Diversity

A variety of life can be seen in just one backyard.

Image of butterfly on a flower.

Butterfly Pollinator

These images show butterflies on top of flowers. Butterflies act as...

Image of bird sitting right outside a window.

Bird Behavior

A bird is repeatedly flying into the glass of a window.

Image of man standing next to a large tree.

Trees and Climate Change

Trees play multiple critical roles in combating climate change. They...

image of a bird flock flying around a commercial wind turbine

Wind Turbines & Bird Migration

According to studies done by the US Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) wind...

finger with four deer ticks each of various sizes

Dangerous Ticks & Invasive Honeysuckle

Since 2010 the number of tick-related illnesses in Iowa have increased...