Phenological observations of woody plants as a means of school students’ research skills development

The complex phenomena studies of seasonal phenology (from the Greek fenomen-phenomenon and logos-doctrine) is the science of phenomena, taking into account and systematizing the laws of the order and timing of seasonal phenomena, i.e. studying the laws of seasonal development of nature. In Russia phenological observations began to be carried out at the beginning of the 18th century. Phenological observations are important for the study of Biology. The research of plant objects with the use of phenology methods contributes to the development of students’ mental operations: analysis, synthesis, comparison and generalization. Phenological observations are also important for students’ research skills development. During nature excursions, besides above mental operations, students develop observation, that is, the ability to notice signs and features of objects and to identify significant features. The problem of students’ research skills development is quite urgent in the modern educational process. One facet of this problem is a direct role of phenological observations in this development. According to the «Concept of the Federal target program of the education development for 2016-2020», research activity is of great importance in the educational process and has an important pedagogical meaning: a teacher, acting as an organizer of phenological observations, needs to know the methodology of such observations, the rules of their organization, registration and conduct. Therefore, the issue under consideration is relevant and has practical significance. The purpose of this paper was to show the importance of the organization of woody plants phenological observations to develop students’ research skills. The tasks of the research were to generalize the methodology of woody plants phenological observations and to develop tasks for woody plants phenological observations on the example of specific species of plants, to identify the features of woody plants phenological development.