Trees Walk. Before the Walk. look at the many uses people make of tree products. appreciate the beauty of trees

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1 Trees Walk b Before the Walk Children benefit in many ways when they are exposed to and become connected with the natural world. This fact, coupled with today s emphasis on going green, makes it more important than ever to integrate nature into children s daily lives and educational experiences. The best way for children to learn about trees and why they are important is to observe and study them in their own yards, neighborhoods, or school settings. A tree walk can help children observe seasonal changes and the yearly cycle and growth of trees learn the names of different types of trees, and some specific trees notice the various parts of trees, their characteristics, and differences among trees consider what trees provide for people and animals look at the many uses people make of tree products appreciate the beauty of trees To get children thinking about trees, create a tree display that includes leaves, bark, acorns, nuts, berries, and pine needles along with magnifying glasses. Also include products made from trees, such as paper, pencils, small pieces of lumber, and a bottle of maple syrup. If possible, include a cross section of a tree to show how to determine a tree s age by the number of rings in the cross section. Include photographs of trees, field guides, or catalogs from local nurseries. Allow children to examine the items and use them to stimulate discussions. Ask the children if the trees in the photos or books look the same as the trees around where they live. Why or why not? Add books about trees and nature to library and literacy areas on a regular basis, and look at them as revisits take place, adding new perspectives and expanding children s thinking each time. Trees Walk 69

2 Words to Use and Learn acorn forest pine shade bark leaf pinecones tree berries needles roots trunk crown nuts sapling twig evergreen oak seeds wood Things to Bring on the Walk a spiral notebook that includes the children s questions and notes about experiences that might interest them (provocations), and for noting your observations of the children during the walk measuring tools, such as tape measures, rulers, or string backpacks or paper bags for collecting things tape paper, pencils, pens, crayons a camera a tape recorder or other recording device pictures of trees or field guides to trees 70 Nature Walks

3 d During the Walk Use the ideas generated from prior discussions with the children about trees to guide your explorations during the walk. The following activities may also be helpful. Identifying Trees Use the photographs or field guides to help children identify the trees they see. Talk about the parts of trees that help identify them, such as size, bark, leaves or needles, pinecones, nuts, or berries. Keep a list of the trees you identify, and encourage older children to keep their own lists. Also consider taping a leaf or other feature of the tree next to its name as a tree is identified. If a tree cannot be identified, collect a leaf or bark sample so you and the children can look it up later. Collecting Items from Trees Children can use bags to collect nuts, seeds, pinecones, and leaves to use for later documentation projects. You might want to collect and label some master samples so you ll be able to help sort out and identify items in the children s collections later on. Observing Trees Notice the shade around trees. Decide which trees would be good for climbing and which would be good for sitting under. Look for unusual things about the trees: split trunks or branches, strange formations, or trees that bend in one direction. Wonder what caused these things. Look for signs of animal life around trees. Are there birds, squirrels, or insects using the trees? Watch quietly for any signs of life in the trees. Are there birds nests or squirrels nests? Listen for sounds of birds singing or pecking at trees or squirrels running up and down trees. Take photographs of the trees. Encourage children to draw pictures of the trees as well. Wondering about Trees Look for things that are edible from trees and things that are nonedible (or even poisonous). What things do animals or birds eat from trees? Notice the trunks of large trees and the heavy root structure going into the ground. Guess how far the roots of the tree may go and make a circle around the tree to show how far the roots may extend. Can you see any roots for the small trees? The root systems go under the ground and spread out to take up as much room under the ground as the branches and leaves (the crown of the tree) take up above the ground. Measure the distance from the base of the tree trunk to the base of the crown. Talk about what the roots do for the tree. Do the roots of trees ever cause problems? What kinds? Make some guesses about roots of big and little trees. Why are some very small trees supported by stakes and ropes? Comparing Trees Stop and carefully examine several different trees. Look at size, shape, color, and texture. Notice the trunk, bark, and leaf structure and name those parts of the tree. Talk about the differences in the trees. Call the children s attention to the difference between evergreen trees and deciduous trees in terms of structure, texture, and color. Pick a Trees Walk 71

4 favorite example of each kind of tree. Plan to visit the trees frequently during the year to watch what happens to them (such as bearing fruit, shedding leaves, and new growth). Take a tape measure and measure around the trunks. Children can also measure with their arms; some very large trees will need two or more children to reach around them. Using the Senses Have the children examine the trees in multisensory ways. Huddle up close to the trunk of the tree and look up at the sky through the branches. Feel the textures of the trees, their leaves and bark. Children can use crayons and paper to make rubbings of the bark. Invite children to close their eyes and listen to the trees. Can they hear them? What can the children tell about them? Look at trees from a distance as well, to take in the whole effect. Talking about Trees Encourage the children to describe how the trees look to them and the things about the trees that especially interest them. As the year progresses, ask the children the same questions about the same trees. Do they still feel the same way about the same trees? Why or why not? What about the trees has changed? Talk about what happens to the trees during each season. structure, and so on. Here are some examples: Evergreen trees have branches that start right at the ground while other trees have branches high up, off the ground. New trees have very small trunks; older trees have thick trunks. Write these things in your notebook or encourage older children to record them. These observations could be useful when children begin considering ways to document their learning about trees after the walk. Make some generalizations about some of the trees you have seen related to size, branch 72 Nature Walks

5 a After the Walk Talk with the children about the trees they observed and the items they may have collected during the walk. Children will likely want to discuss many things and continue to learn about trees. Be sure to share with the children the photographs taken of trees during the walk. Older Children School-age children can demonstrate their learning about trees in a variety of ways according to their interests. For example, they could create a seasonal mural showing how trees and their foliage look during each season. Items collected from the walks, such as leaves, pinecones, and berries, can be glued to the mural to show how the trees change with the seasons. This mural creates opportunities for reinforcing vocabulary such as deciduous and coniferous. For children interested in ecology and tree conservation, work with them to research local or national groups dedicated to preserving trees and forests. What opportunities are there for all of the children to become involved in local volunteer activities, such as planting trees? Children can use items collected to create their own tree guides by gluing items to the pages of their books. They can include information about different species from other books as well as things they discovered on their own during the walks. branches represent their most recent experiences and milestones. Trees evoke different emotions in different people, and as such have been the subject of many poems throughout the ages. Collect a variety of poems about trees and share them with the children. Discuss with children the different emotions trees evoke, and why. Then invite children to create their own poems about trees using descriptive words that evoke some of their own feelings about trees. If trees could talk, what would they say? Invite children to create a drama or public service message involving talking trees. Younger Children There are many ways young children can demonstrate and expand their learning about trees. They will delight in working with items collected during the walks as well as trying to replicate trees and the features of trees with craft materials. Add new words related to trees to an existing word wall. Create a class book about trees or have each child create his own book using items collected during the walk. Invite children to create Me Trees. Me Trees are similar to Family Trees, but document children s own experiences and milestones, beginning with their birth on lower branches. The highest How many things in the room begin with the letter T as in tree? Search for things that begin with the letter T and make a list of the words you find. Then transfer the words to a sheet of chart paper. Trees Walk 73

6 Draw simple pictures next to the words so children can begin associating the things with their written names. Each day for five days read children a different book about trees. At the end of the week, invite them to share which book was their favorite and why. Reread the books children enjoyed most. Revisiting the Walk Try to observe the same trees throughout the year; think about taking this walk on a regular basis to observe changes. The children can learn about trees a little at a time, and you can extend the discussions and activities over a period of time. Children s interest in nature is ongoing, and trees easily lend themselves to review and revisiting. If the trees change, ask the children to describe the change. Invite children to re-create art they created after the first walk to reflect the change in the trees. 74 Nature Walks

7 Books Bernard, Robin A tree for all seasons. Washington, DC: National Geographic Society. Bourgoing, Pascale de, and Christian Broutin The tree. New York: Cartwheel Books. Cooper, Jason Oak tree. Vero Beach, FL: Rourke Publishing. Ehlert, Lois Red leaf, yellow leaf. Orlando: Harcourt Brace. Florian, Douglas Discovering trees. New York: Aladdin Books. Fowler, Allan It could still be a tree. Chicago: Children s Press Maple trees. Chicago: Children s Press. George, Kristine O Connell, and Kate Kiesler Old Elm speaks: Tree poems. New York: Clarion Books. Gibbons, Gail Tell me, tree: All about trees for kids. Boston: Little, Brown & Co. Godwin, Sam, and Simone Abel From little acorns: A first look at the life cycle of a tree. London: Hodder Wayland. Maestro, Betsy, and Loretta Krupinski Why do leaves change color? New York: HarperCollins. Oppenheim, Joanne, Jean Tseng, and Mou-Sien Tseng Have you seen trees? New York: Scholastic. Pluckrose, Henry Arthur Trees. Chicago: Children s Press. Tagliaferro, Linda Life cycle of a pine tree. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press. Worth, Bonnie I can name 50 trees today! New York: Random House. Trees Walk 75