During the 2021-2022 school year, Room 3 partnered with UC Merced on an exciting project on California forest trees. Throughout the year, we had an array of fabulous guest speakers and we went on field trips to study California forest trees. I posted updates here during this project. Please see the document below to learn more about this project. We will be continuing the study of native trees during the 2023-2024 school year and I will put updates here. Our field trip to study native oaks was on October 27th. Please scroll down to see updated images.
Embedded Files
SAW outreach project.pdf
Students have been enjoying learning about native trees and creating gorgeous works of art. In the spring, local artist Penny Otwell will be painting with students and teaching them her techniques when it comes to painting trees.
Students have been learning how to draw Coastal California Red Woods and Giant Sequoias. We have also watched many educational videos about these magnificent trees.
We have received many books about native trees in our area from the UC Merced grant. Here are the list of the books we have received-
The Sequoia Lives Ob, By Joanna Cooke
Be a Tree! By Maria Gianferrari
Wildheart, the Daring Adventures of John Muis, by Julie Bertagna
Get to Know Your Universe! Science Comics Trees, King of the Forest, by Andy Hirsch
Looking at Lichen
Looking at Lichen
On October 28th, we went to a nearby property to study the amazing blue oaks that grow in Catheys Valley.
Room 3 Field Trip to the Blue Oaks
Room 3 Field Trip to the Blue Oaks
Carolin Frank, a professor at UC Merced, and her grad student, Chris, joined us so that they could teach us more about the blue oak.
Studying Oak Tree Galls
Studying Oak Tree Galls
We enjoyed finding several different types of oak galls, measuring trees to help figure out the age, and sketching blue oaks in our field notebooks.
On March 10, 2022, Carolin Frank came into Room 3 to teach students about plant microbiomes.
We then did a science experiment, using local trees so we could study their microbiomes. We used leaf samples from local trees and pressed the leaves into agar plates.
On March 15, 2022, Carolin returned to look at the plant microbiomes that grew throughout the week and we discussed our findings.
On March 18th, local artist Penny Otwell came to SFCS to draw and paint trees with my students.
Penny painted a few of her favorite trees around campus and discussed art with students, talking about the shapes of trees and perspective.
After, students had a chance to sketch the trees around them and ask Penny questions. Later that afternoon, students took their favorite sketch and made a beautiful pastel final draft of their tree.
On March 25th, retired UC Merced art professor, Karen LeCocq, came to Room 3 to teach students how to make trees made out of wire.
She first talked about trees and how their roots mirror their branches.
She then gave each child a bundle of colored wire that students twisted into trees.
Studying
Studying
On October 27th, we took a field trip to Tinkers Penny in Catheys Valley.
Oak Tree
Oak Tree
On our field trip, we studied oak trees with UC professor Carolin Frank.
Galls
Galls
We spent the first part of our field trip studying and collecting oak tree galls.
Measuring
Measuring
On October 27th, we discussed how to tell the age of an oak tree.
Oak Trees
Oak Trees
We measured around an oak tree to help determine its age.
For Age
For Age
We also had wood circles that and we counted the rings to help determine tree age.
Learning
Learning
At the end of our field trip, we discussed acorns and their importance to the Native American tribes that lived in our area.
About
About
Carolin Frank had made acorn powder and students had a chance to try a little bit.
Acorns
Acorns
There were pounding stones at Tinkers Penny and we talked about how Native Americans used them to make food with acorns.
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