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Trees
National
Arbor Day
the last Friday in April
Of all plants, trees are the biggest and live the longest. Instead of green stems, they have woody trunks, which usually divide into many branches. The woody tissue is very strong, allowing some trees to grow to incredible heights of 330 ft (100 m) or more. A network of roots anchors the tree to the ground and draws up water and nutrients from the soil. From DK Smithsonian - Trees, Leaves, Flowers, and Seeds A Visual Encyclopedia of the Plant Kingdom.
Trees
- grow into many different sizes and shapes.
- have a variety of branch styles.
- are homes to a variety of animals.
What else do you know about trees already?
A tree shape can changes with age. It's shape can be modified by shade, wind, animals, people, and disease.
Observing Trees
There are two main types of trees: Deciduous and Evergreen.
Deciduous trees lose their leaves in the winter as they stop growing. Evergreen trees keep the majority of their leaves all winter long.
Let's begin by observing trees. Do you have trees in your yard? Can you see some trees outside of your window?
When you observe a tree you can first start to think about what shapes you are seeing. Does it have a tall rectangle shaped trunk? Is the top rounded, oval shaped, or tall and pointy? Does it have needle type leaves or are they thin paper type leaves? Which way do the branches point?
How many words you can use to describe the tree.
You could observe:
the number and style of branches
whether the bark is rough or smooth
the texture and color of the bark
the style of leaves
if their are holes where an animal might live
whether certain species of trees grow in similar habitats
🌳Oak Tree from 🌰Acorn (50 Days Time-Lapse) by Seemingly Forever Timelapse
Leaves
Leaves come in many different shapes and sizes.
Do you know that tree needles and scales are also leaves?
Are there leaves on the trees? Are they thin paper-like leaves, or needle like? Do they have smooth edges or pointed?
Travel Deep Inside a Leaf 2:52 - Annotated Version | California Academy of Sciences Please turn on subtitles with the CC (Closed Captions) button to see the explanatory annotations designed for educators.
Bark
The outer bark is the tree's protection from the outside world. The inner bark, or “phloem”, is pipeline through which food is passed to the rest of the tree.
Read about the Anatomy of a Tree here at The Arbor Day Foundation.
Next time you walk by a tree, stop and take notice of its bark. What words can you use to describe it? What does it feel like? Does its bark help us identify what kind of a tree it is?
Lichens
You might notice that some trees have these beautiful 'decorations' attached to them, just like in these three picture from trees right outside of Brayton School.
You can learn about Lichens and also Moss in the two videos below.
Blossoms
Blossom is the name for the flowers that grow on trees and bushes, which often produce colorful displays in spring and summer.
When they are pollinated, blossoms grow into the fruit.
Some of the best fruit trees to grow in Massachusetts are apples, pears, peaches, plums, cherries, and figs.
Magnolia flowers have bloomed since the time of the dinosaurs
A healthy apple tree can produce fruits for more than 100 years.
Learn more Fruit Tree Facts for Kids here at Kiddle - Encyclopedia for Kids
The apple tree (Malus domestica) is a deciduous tree in the rose family best known for its sweet, pomaceous fruit, the apple. It is cultivated worldwide as a fruit tree, and is the most widely grown species in the genus Malus. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancestor, Malus sieversii, is still found today. Apples have been grown for thousands of years in Asia and Europe, and were brought to North America by European colonists.
Learning More About Trees
Exploring and Learning about Trees and Nature
Click above to open this 28 page guide. It holds many fun learning activities, like these below, to do at home.
Getting to Know Trees ~ Parts of a Tree ~ Beans Sprouts
Explore their site for many more resources!
Casey Trees is Washington D.C. based nonprofit committed to restoring, enhancing and protecting the tree canopy of the nation’s capital. To fulfill this mission, they plant trees, engage thousands of volunteers of all ages in tree planting and care, provide year-round continuing education courses, monitor the city’s tree canopy, develop interactive online tree tools and work with elected officials, developers, and community groups to protect and care for existing trees and to encourage the addition of new ones.
A Guide to Some Common Tree Species
Click on each tree to learn all about it.
On their site you can also find helpful information on planting and caring for trees
NTS is a cyberspace interest group devoted to the documentation and celebration of trees and forests of North America and around the world, through art, poetry, music, mythology, science, medicine, wood crafts, and collecting research data for a variety of purposes.
Tree Identification in Spring with Aemelia Thompson, an environmental educator at the Hitchcock Center. 9:57
Arbor Day - Friday, April 30th
Arbor Day for Kids
Holiday for Planting Trees
By Socratica for Kids
https://www.arborday.org/kids
Trees in History
Eastern White Pine - the Tree Rooted in American History by New England Forests Documents the eastern white pine tree's central role in the founding and building of America, its logging history, and its current importance to wildlife and humans. 56:40
If you love history, you might be fascinated by this in-depth look at why the eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) was at one time the most valuable tree in the world. by New England Forests
New England's Tallest Tree
Native Tree Society (NTS) co-founder Bob Leverett re-measures New England's single tallest living thing, a Massachusetts white pine tree. NTS member Matt Markworth measures a second tall pine.
Pine Cones
Pine Cone Science and Timelapse experiment by Kaliopi Nikitas
up to 4:40 then outtakes follow
Why, when, and how do pine cones open and close? A pine cone time lapse and learning the science behind it all leads me to more than just one dose of wonder - multiple doses!
Adding Trees to Your Nature Journal
How to Create a Tree Bark Rubbing with
Chattahoochee Nature Center in Roswell, GA
Tree Crafts
Crafts for Kids and Students - Make a Japanese Cherry Blossom Tree with AL07English
UMass Extension Program
Bud Growth Stages on Fruit Trees
Follow along each week to view the various bud stages, with photos taken at the UMass Cold Spring Orchard, Belchertown, MA.
Provided by the Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment UMass Extension Fruit Program
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