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Objectives: The students will explore the

parts and functions of trees.

The students will observe

trees in their natural habitat, and define characteristics that distinguish tree species.

The students will use creative

writing to describe trees.

Equipment: Key Tree Phrase Cards

Dendrology Books

Magnifying Lens

Pencils/crayons

Build a Tree card/cookie

Note to Teacher: This lesson is designed to encour-age students to explore the world of trees. It is also designed so that you, the teacher, do not have to know the specifics of identifying trees at Bradford Woods. None-theless, knowing how to identify at least a few trees will only enhance your lesson. Your other function is to encourage students to discover the similarities and differences of trees on a level on which they have perhaps not thought. They should also be encouraged to ex-plore and understand the roles trees play in human life, and the vital niche trees have relative to all life.

Concepts: Trees have different parts that perform vital functions important to the survival of all trees.

Trees all have certain characteristics that distinguish them from other trees.

Trees, both living and dead, play important roles in the forest community.

Trees

Activities in Lesson: What are Trees Good for Relay (20 min) Build a Tree (20 min) Key Tree Phrases (ambulator) Tree Tag (ambulator) Dendrology Book (40 min) Rings of Growth (10 min)

Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Bark- the tough outer covering of the woody stems and roots of trees, shrubs, and other woody plants. It includes all tissues out-side the vascular cambium. Cambium– a series of formative cells lying outside of the wood proper and inside of the inner bark. The growth of new wood takes place in the cambium, which is very soft. Dendrology– the study of the identification of trees. Heartwood– the older, nonliving central wood of a tree or woody plant, usually darker and harder than the younger sapwood, also called duramen. Leaves– a usually green, flat-tened, lateral structure attached to a stem and functioning as a principal organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in most plants. Phloem– the food-conducting tissue of vascular plants, consist-ing of sieve tubes, fibers, paren-chyma, and sclereids, also called bast.

Photosynthesis- the process in green plants and certain other organisms by which carbohy-drates are synthesized from car-bon dioxide and water using light as an energy source. Most forms of photosynthesis release oxy-gen as a byproduct. Roots- the usually underground portion of a plant that lacks buds, leaves, or nodes and serves as support, draws minerals and wa-ter from the surrounding soil, and sometimes stores food. Sapwood– the newly formed out-er wood located just inside the vascular cambium of a tree trunk and active in the conduction of water. Sapwood is usually lighter in color than heartwood. Xylem- the supporting and water-conducting tissue of vascular plants, consisting primarily of tracheids and vessels; woody tissue.

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What are Trees Good for Relay (20min) Materials: paper, pencil, hard surface 1. Begin by asking the students:

Why is it important to know about trees? Can you get an apple from an oak tree? What makes a tree a tree? What are trees good for?

2. Divide the group into groups of 5 or 6 and ask them to line up behind a line that you have designated. Ask them to silently think of all the things for which trees are good. Next explain that their group will be creating a list of different uses of trees and why trees are important. However, there are some specific rules that they must follow. 3. Only one person at a time will be able to write something on the list, which will be put in front of the groups about 30 feet away. This means that only one person from each group may be across the line at one time. After they have written one thing on the list, they may put the pencil down, run back to their group, tag hands with the next person in line, and that per-son can go. Allow enough time for each person in the group to have at least two turns. 4. Remind them that they may want to work to-gether and discuss what they are going to put down because repeats will not be counted. Also remind them that what they put on the list does not necessarily have to be an object made from trees. It may be any reason we would want to have trees around. 5. After the round is over, have the group get together to discuss what is on their lists. Use this activity to make the topic of trees relevant to the students and to generate a brief discus-sion on the importance of trees.

Build a Tree (20 min) Materials: tree cookie, build a tree card 1. This activity explains how a tree works on the inside. Explain that trees are like factories that have many different parts which work together and allow the tree to live and grow. They will be building their own tree to see how it works and

they will be representing the different parts of the tree. 2. Choose one person to represent the heart-wood of the tree. Ask what the function of the heartwood is (it is the dead wood at the center of a tree and its primary function is to support the tree upright). This part of the tree needs to be very strong to do its job, so the person must come up with an action and a sound that repre-sents the function of the heartwood. If they are having trouble, ask the group to give them sug-gestions. 3. Next is the xylem that surrounds the heart-wood. Ask two people to represent the xylem. They need to surround the heartwood by linking hands around that person. Ask what the func-tion of the xylem is (to transport water from the roots up the tree). Ask them to come up with a sound and an action to represent the function of the xylem, and have them practice with the heartwood’s sound as well. 4. Next is the cambium layer. Ask three people to represent the cambium. The cambium is the layer which is responsible for making new xy-lem cells and new phloem cells. Have them come up with a sound and action and practice them with the other parts of the tree. 5. Ask four or five people to represent the phlo-em, which is responsible for transporting the food created in the leaves of the trees to all the other cells of the tree. Have them create a sound and an action and practice all of the sounds together. Explain that during most of the year the phloem transports food made in the leaves of the trees to the other parts of the tree that need it. But in the fall, the rest of the un-used food is transported to the roots for stor-age. Then in the spring when the tree is ready to grow again the phloem transports the food as sap up from the roots to the buds of the trees so they have the energy to break. This is the ideal time to tap a maple tree. When we tap a maple tree we are actually stealing some food from the tree that is on the way up to the buds. Do not worry; the tree makes plenty of extra food so the little amount that we take will not starve the tree. 6. Next is the bark of the tree. Ask 4 or 5 people to represent the bark, which is responsible for

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Trees

protecting the tree from anything that might hurt it. Ask the students to give examples of from what the tree might need to protect itself (disease, insects, fire, people, animals, etc.). Have them create a sound and an action as well. When we tap maple trees for the sap we have to penetrate the bark to get to the phloem. 7. The rest of the group will represent the roots of the tree, which are responsible for absorbing water and other nutrients from the soil to give to the other parts of the tree, as well as to anchor the tree firmly in the ground. Another important function of the roots is to store extra sap in the winter. In the spring the phloem will begin mov-ing this food up from the roots to the buds of the tree. Have them create a sound and an action. 8. Now it is time to put it all together and give life to their tree. On the count of three, everyone must do their sound and action. You may act as a woodpecker trying to penetrate the tree, and the bark must protect the rest of the tree. After the tree functions for a while, stop the students and ask them how they would function in the wintertime. 9. If there are enough people in the group you can add leaves and even smaller branches. It is important to constantly quiz students on the names and different functions of the parts of the tree as you go along.

Key Tree Phrases (ambulator) Materials: key tree phrases, envelopes. **Note: this activity works well incorporated into the dendrology books activity** 1. As you walk throughout the day, stop along the way to point out specific trees and either ask student to come up with a key tree phrase for that tree or give one yourself. A key tree phrase is a phrase that identifies a species of tree based on a distinguishing characteristic. 2. For example, the bark of a black cherry tree may be described as looking like burnt potato chips. “Burnt potato chips,” becomes the key tree phrase for that tree. Coming up with key tree phrases not only encourages students to be critical in their observations, but also asks them to be creative in their descriptions. Key tree phrases also help students to remember

tree species based on the characteristics. 3. Once you’ve identified a tree together, intro-duce the tree tag ambulator that follows this ac-tivity and let the students that the tree(s) you have learned are now fair game for the tag.

Tree Tag (ambulator)

On the trail play tree tag. You will call out a spe-cific tree and they must tag that tree species along the trail. Only call out trees that you see near the trail. If a students misidentifies a tree, make sure you gently point out some of the dis-tinguishing characteristics that don’t match the tree you called for.

Dendrology book (40 min) Materials: dendrology book, crayons. 1. After students have a basic knowledge of how to distinguish different trees from one an-other, tell them they are now officially dendrolo-gists. As dendrologists they have been hired to explore a previously untouched area of Brad-ford Woods in an effort to catalog the type of trees there. The result of this exploration will be a dendrology book that they will produce. 2. Explain that they will be working in groups and that each group will be given an area in which to collect information. Each person in the group should select a tree to work on individual-ly. Talk about how they should collect their da-ta. They will want to be as detailed and com-plete as possible. They will want to look at all aspects of the tree and describe in as much de-tail as possible the various parts of the tree: bark; branching pattern; leaf shape; etc. Tell them to be creative in their descriptions and how they collect their information. 3. They can draw pictures, do bark rubbings, describe odors, etc. Have a box of crayons or markers so they can add color to their books. After they have collected all the data, they can decorate the cover of their dendrology book. 4. For this activity to be successful it is im-portant to move around to different groups and help them come up with descriptions and give them ideas of for what to look. This may also be an opportunity to tell them what you know about the natural history of that tree. After everyone is

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finished with their books ask if any of the groups of dendrologists would like to introduce their trees to the rest of the group.

Rings of Growth (10 min) Materials: tree cookie, paper plate, pencil. 1. Have students find a stump on which the growth rings of the tree are readily visible. Point out different rings and the width of each. Ex-plain that each ring is created by the different growth periods of a tree, the early wood and the late wood. The early wood is wood that is grown in the first part of the spring and the ves-sels are large to allow a lot of water to be trans-ported up to the leaves. Later in the year when it is drier, the vessels are much smaller; the wood produced by the cambium at this time is called the late wood. 2. A distinct ring separates the two types, in most trees. Since this usually happens once a season each ring represents one year. There-fore, by counting the rings, we can tell how old the tree is. What else can we tell from the rings of a tree? Do we have to cut down a tree to study its rings? Point out different things you see on the stump and have the students hy-pothesize why that ring is the way it is. 3. Pass out paper plates and pencils to each student. Tell them to draw a tree cross section that represents them. They should have a growth ring for every year they have been alive. Have them note significant happenings on their growth ring, such as entered kindergarten, broke my arm, etc.

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Evaluation: √ Students can explain the parts of a tree and

their functions. √ Students can state characteristics that

distinguish tree species. √ Students have written creatively about some

aspect of trees.

Keep in Mind: It is not important to identify every tree you en-counter, but it will be important to at least be able to identify the trees you plan to talk about in your lesson. Prepare by going on the trail you plan to take with a field guide and spending a little time identifying trees.

Back in the Classroom Investigate insects and plants that threaten your community’s trees. Invite an entomologist into your class to speak about methods for control-ling insect populations. If your community is af-fected by gypsy moths, monitor the defoliation and record the changes you see in a tree year to year. Contact the Division of Forestry and find out what they suggest property owners do if these issues affect their trees.

Notes:

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Background

Trees in Indiana Trees, like other plants, are facing problems of habitat loss, invasion by non-native species, and harvesting. Historically, Indiana was ap-proximately 80% hardwood forest. Due to both rural and urban development there are few for-ests left in the state. There are many wood lots, or small (10-15 acres) privately owned forested areas. These areas are typically not large enough to provide the resources necessary for an ecosystem that involves large animals. Many ornamental species of trees are brought in and choke out the native species. Many tracts of land are planted with fast growing pine trees, but the only indigenous evergreen species in Indiana is the eastern red cedar. Another prob-lem trees in temperate climates of the United States are facing is gypsy moths. In 1869 a Frenchman who wanted to develop a strain of silk moths that would be resistant to disease so he could begin commercial silk pro-duction brought gypsy moths to the United States. Some of his moths escaped and twenty years later the first gypsy moth breakouts oc-curred. Gypsy moths are native to Europe and Asia and are capable, as caterpillars, of eating the leaves from over 300 species of trees and shrubs. The favorite of the caterpillars, howev-er, is the oak tree. As caterpillars, they can de-foliate, eat all the leaves off a tree, in the early part of the summer. Deciduous trees have the ability to grow new leaves by midsummer but there are fewer new leaves and they are lighter in color. Defoliation causes stress to the tree but most deciduous trees can survive at least two consecutive cy-cles, one cycle each summer. Evergreen trees rarely survive a complete defoliation. In the mid-dle of summer, once the caterpillars have pu-pated into moths, eggs are laid on the under-side of leaves or. People unknowingly transporting the eggs to other parts of the country cause a long distance spread of the gypsy moth. There are a number of solutions being looked into to reduce or elimi-nate the gypsy moth population in the United States. Egg masses can be scraped from trees and soaked in bleach; trees can be banded with burlap to prevent the caterpillars from climbing to the leaves. Both of these methods, while ef-

fective, are time and labor intensive. There are biological and chemical controls being re-searched to try and combat the gypsy moths. Gypsy moths do have a number of natural pred-ators, however these predators tend to leave defoliated areas. The natural predators are not numerous enough to control the population.

Tree Uses We use trees in many ways. Trees play a vital role for all life on earth. They provide us with shelter, oxygen, food, paper, and a virtually endless list of products that enhance our lives. Because we are so dependent on trees it has become very important to learn as much as possible to not only use trees efficiently but also preserve their existence on earth. The first step in learning about trees, or for that matter, anything, is to observe them in as much detail as possible. This can be done by noting both similarities between all trees, and also the differences that make them unique. All trees have characteristics that make them trees; for example, all trees have leaves, roots, xylem, phloem, cambium, bark, and heartwood, which perform the same functions in all species. Trees also have different characteristics, which allow them to survive in different environments. By studying both the similarities and differences, students will take a step toward a better under-standing of the world of trees.

Parts of a Tree Heartwood: The dead wood that makes up the innermost layer of the trunk. The main role of the heartwood is to provide the tree with strength and support. Xylem (sapwood): The layer of the tree be-tween the heartwood and cambium that trans-ports water and minerals up from the roots. Cambium: The thin layer of cells between the xylem and phloem that produces xylem and phloem cells, causing an increase in the diame-ter of the tree’s trunk and branches. Phloem (inner bark): The layer that transports food produced in the leaves to the rest of the tree and down to the roots for storage. In the late winter and early spring the phloem trans-ports food to the buds so they can grow.

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Pith rays: Sections of specialized cells that al-low fluids to be transported horizontally through the tree. They also allow for food to be stored. Bark: The outer covering of the tree that pro-tects it from insects, disease, and mechanical damage. Roots: Roots act as an anchoring system to keep the tree upright. Root systems are usually larger and more branched than the top of the tree. Water and minerals that are in the soil are collected by the roots and sent up into the tree for use. Root tips: The feathery ends of roots that actu-ally allow water and minerals to enter the tree. They are as important to the tree as the leaves. Twigs: Twigs are young shoots and are the smallest branches of a tree. There is quite a variation in the twigs of one tree to the next, providing another means for identifying trees in the winter. Leaf scars: When a leaf falls off its twig, a mark is left, providing a means for identifying a tree in the winter when there are no leaves on the tree. Leaf scars will show in what pattern the leaves were arranged. Leaf scars are often quite distin-guishable from one another. Within the leaf scar there are bundle scars. Bundle scars are often prominent and are arranged in a pattern. Bun-dle scars are created when the fibro-vascular bundles are ruptured when the leaf falls off the twig. Fibro-vascular bundles are the pathways for transportation of water and nutrients be-tween the leaf and the branch. Leaves: Attached to a twig, a leaf collects sun-light and CO2 (through transpiration). Food is generated for the tree in the leaves through photosynthesis. Leaves are arranged in pat-terns, and these patterns fall into three main categories: opposite, alternate, and whorled. See branching patterns (below) for more infor-mation. Buds: Typically found in the spring, before the tree begins to grow for the year, buds are unde-veloped stems, branches, or flowers, located along the twigs of the tree. Buds, if found along the edge of the twig, are termed lateral. Many

Background

species have a bud at the tip of the twig that is the terminal bud.

Branching Patterns Trees in this area have two main branching pat-terns. Leaves are arranged on twigs and branches following the pattern of the tree. Alter-nate branching is the most common pattern of deciduous trees. Leaf nodes are on different sides of the twig and they are offset as you trav-el out the twig. Twigs are offset from one anoth-er along a branch. Opposite branching is found in the following trees at Bradford Woods: maples, ashes, dog-woods, horse chestnuts, and buckeyes. These trees can be remembered using the acronym “MAD Horse Bucks”. Opposite branching has leaf nodes on different sides of the twig but they each have a partner and are not offset from one another, thus opposite.

Key Tree Phrases (Bark ID) Appears to have a series of eyes along it’s trunk; the leaf of this tree matches the leaf on the Canadian flag…Maple A large tree, this bark is dark in color with what appears to be white paint or white ski tracks running lengthwise on the bark...Red Oak The trunk of this tree is remarkably straight and tall with few branches on the lower part of the tree. It is also the Indiana state tree…Tulip Poplar The bark of this tree is silver and smooth, the bottom of the trunk looks like and elephant’s foot. It is often abused with engraving of initials…Beech The further up you go the more sick it looks. The bark of this tree is silver/white and peels off the tree as it climbs, leaving the tree looking like it is dying… Sycamore This bark looks like puzzle pieces or alligator skin with clear separation of small shapes…Dogwood Resembling a burnt pie crust this bark appears flaky but is hard and not separated like the Dogwood bark...Black Cherry

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This tree has long, wide pieces of bark that peel off the tree from top to bottom. Bats like to use this tree for homes as they can get up inside the loose bark. A shaggy effect to the entire tree…Shagbark Hickory This tree is typically thin, the bark light gray in color with what appears to be twists resembling muscles in its shape…Ironwood Thorns are the biggest clue on this tree. The trunk will show patches of long, brown, sharp thorns up to 3 inches long. Long red pods similar to runner beans may be found around the base of the tree…Honey Locust When scraped this bark is very red and has a distinct sweet odor. From the outside look closely to see orange/red colors in between deep grooves in the bark. Resembles ski patterns on the side of a mountain. The twigs are a light orange in color and give away a sweet smell when snapped…Sassafras Dark gray or blackish bark, rough and furrowed into long thin scaly ridges…Black Walnut Light gray, shallowly fissured into long, broad scaly plates or ridges, often loose…White Oak

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Standards

Grade 3 English/ Language Arts 3.7.3 Answer questions completely and appropri-

ately. 3.7.15 Follow three- and four-step oral directions. 3.7.11 Distinguish between the speaker’s opinions

and verifiable facts. 3.7.16 Evaluate different evidence (facts, statistics,

quotes, testimonials) used to support claims.

Science 3.2.3 Keep a notebook that describes observations

and is understandable weeks or months later. 3.2.6 Make sketches and write descriptions to aid in

explaining procedures or ideas. 3.4.1 Demonstrate that a great variety of living

things can be sorted into groups in many ways using various features, such as how they look, where they live, and how they act, to decide which things belong to which group.

3.4.2 Explain that features used for grouping de-pend on the purpose of the grouping.

3.4.3 Observe that and describe how offspring are very much, but not exactly, like their parents and like one another.

3.6.3 Explain how a model of something is different from the real thing but can be used to learn something about the real thing.

3.6.5 Observe that and describe how some changes are very slow and some are very fast and that some of these changes may be hard to see and/or record.

Grade 4 English/Language Arts 4.7.1 Ask thoughtful questions and respond orally to

relevant questions with appropriate elabora-tion.

4.7.2 Summarize major ideas and supporting evi-dence presented in spoken presentations.

Science 4.1.1 Observe and describe that scientific investiga-

tions generally work the same way in different places.

4.2.5 Write descriptions of investigations, using observations and other evidence as support for explanations.

4.2.6 Support statements with facts found in print and electronic media, identify the sources used, and expect others to do the same.

4.4.2 Investigate, observe, and describe that insects and various other organisms depend on dead plant and animal material for food.

4.4.3 Observe and describe that organisms interact with one another in various ways, such as providing food, pollination, and seed dispersal.

4.4.4 Observe and describe that some source of energy is needed for all or-ganisms to stay alive and grow.

4.4.5 Observe and explain that most plants produce far more seeds than those that actually grow into new plants.

4.4.6 Explain how in all environments, organisms are growing, dying, and decaying, and new organisms are being produced by the old ones.

4.6.1 Demonstrate that in an object consisting of many parts, the parts usually influence or in-teract with one another.

4.6.2 Show that something may not work as well, or at all, if a part of it is missing, broken, worn out, mismatched, or incorrectly connected.

4.6.3 Recognize that and describe how changes made to a model can help predict how the real thing can be altered.

Grade 5 English/Language Arts

5.4.5 Use note-taking skills when completing re-search for writing.

5.7.1 Ask questions that seek information not al-ready discussed.

5.7.2 Interpret a speaker’s verbal and nonverbal messages, purposes, and perspectives.

5.7.3 Make inferences or draw conclusions based on an oral report.

Science 5.1.3 Explain that doing science involves many dif-

ferent kinds of work and engages men, wom-en, and children of all ages and backgrounds.

5.1.6 Explain how the solution to one problem, such as the use of pesticides in agriculture or the use of dumps for waste disposal, may create other problems.

5.2.4 Keep a notebook to record observations and be able to distinguish inferences from actual observations.

5.4.3 Observe and explain that some organisms are made of a collection of similar cells that benefit from cooperating. Explain that some organ-isms’ cells, such as human nerve and muscle cells, vary greatly in appearance and perform very different roles in the organism.

5.4.4 Explain that in any particular environment, some kinds of plants and animals survive well, some do not survive as well, and some cannot survive at all.

5.4.7 Explain that living things, such as plants and animals, differ in their characteristics, and that sometimes these differences can give members of these groups (plants and animals) an advantage in surviving and reproducing.

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5.6.1 Recognize and describe that systems contain objects as well as processes that interact with each other.

Grade 6 English/Language Arts 6.4.5 Research Process and Technology: Use note-

taking skills when completing research for writ-ing.

6.7.3 Restate and carry out multiple-step oral in-structions and directions.

Science

6.2.7 Locate information in reference books, back issues of newspapers and magazines, compact disks, and computer databases.

6.3.16 Explain that human activities, such as reducing the amount of forest cover, increasing the amount and variety of chemicals released into the atmosphere, and intensive farming, have changed the capacity of the environment to support some life forms.

6.4.1 Explain that one of the most general distinctions among organisms is between green plants, which use sunlight to make their own food, and animals, which consume energy-rich foods.

6.4.3 Describe some of the great variety of body plans and internal structures animals and plants have that contribute to their being able to make or find food and reproduced.

6.4.8 Explain that in all environments, such as freshwater, marine, forest, desert, grassland, mountain, and others, organisms with similar needs may compete with one another for resources, including food, space, water, air, and shelter. In any environment, the growth and survival of organisms depend on the physical conditions.

6.4.10 Describe how life on Earth depends on energy from the sun.

Standards