Water Wonders
The water cycle is the system by which Earth’s water is collected, purified, and distributed from the environment to living things and then returned to the environment.
Science
Trees in Trouble
Students examine trees for signs of damage or poor health and investigate conditions that may cause trees and other plants to become unhealthy.
Trees for Many Reasons
By reading a story such as The Lorax by Dr. Seuss, students can examine the importance of conserving natural resources.
Tree ID
Tree species can be identified by looking at several different features: leaves, bark, twigs, flowers, fruit, and seeds. Even the overall shape of a tree can give clues to the tree’s identity.
Tree Factory
By modeling the parts of a tree and creating a “tree factory,” students will learn about the structure of a tree.
Tree Cookies
Tree rings show patterns of change in the tree’s life, as well as changes in the area where it grows. Students will trace environmental and historical changes using a cross-section of a tree.
Soil Builders
Students explore differences in soil types and what those differences mean to people and to plants. They also investigate the role soil organisms play, both in building soil and in decomposition.
Signs of Fall
Students will look for signs of autumn and conduct an investigation to discover why the leaves of deciduous trees change color in the fall.
Poet-Tree
Writing and sharing poems gives students an opportunity to express their thoughts, feelings, and beliefs in creative and artistic ways. You can do this activity in combination with Adopt a Tree, to allow students to explore their adopted tree.
Peek at Packaging
Nearly everything we buy comes in some sort of package. Students examine the pros and cons of different packaging and design an “ideal” package.