Homeschool: Tree Unit

May 03, 2020

DAY ONE:

All About Trees! Ask your children what they know and what they wonder about trees. This helps guide you to know how to teach your children (don't spend a lot of time on things they already know and spend extra time on finding answer to their questions). After answering their questions throughout the week, write it in the learned column.

Focus: Parts of a Tree.

Art & Writing - Draw a tree and label the parts. Make sure to include roots, trunk, bark, leaves, branches and fruit.

Science - Define how each of the tree parts helps the tree (worksheet source: Tree Unit by Lindsey Viducich).

Go outside and examine trees. Feel the different textures of bark and look for roots sticking out of the ground. This was fascinating for us to really examine a tree. Remind children of the purpose of each part of the tree.

DAY TWO:

Focus: Tree Life Cycle.

Cut, sort and glue the tree life cycle pieces (worksheet source: Tree Unit by Lindsey Viducich) in order onto your art project from yesterday. Optional: Color the pieces.
Act out the tree life cycle by crouching low (like a seed), and then slowly growing as the seed turns into a sprout, sapling, tree with blossoms and tree with flowers (at this point the students should be standing with their arms stretched out wide).
Watch how a blossom turns into an apple (Youtube Link).

Counting Seeds Experiment. Orange, pear, lemon or apple. Students guess which fruit will have the most seeds. Afterward, open up the fruit and dissect the seeds. Count aloud and record what you learned (worksheet source: Curriculum Castle).

DAY THREE:

Focus: Trees Through the Seasons. Review why leave change color and fall in Autumn (less sunlight and colder temperatures). Discuss the seasons and what trees look like in each one. Write the seasons on the bottom of page. Using a q-tip, small stamp or a cotton ball, paint the colors of the tree in the various seasons.

DAY FOUR:

Focus: Deciduous and Coniferous Tress.

Deciduous and Coniferous Sort. Cut and paste the tree picture/description into the correct category. Optional Youtube Videos: Deciduous and Coniferous Trees & Trees that Never Lose Their Leaves.

Make a Bird Feeder. Inside each scale of a pinecone is its seed! When the pinecone is cold, it tightens and closes. When the pinecone is warm and dry (like in the summer), the scales open up and release their seeds. Make a bird feeder by tying a piece of yarn onto the top of the pine cone. Then, spread peanut butter and sprinkle bird seed over the pine cone. Hang it on a branch.

DAY FIVE:

Focus: The Inside of a Tree & How it Helps Us.

What if You Were a Tree? Each year a tree grows, a near ring appears in its trunk. Have children draw how old they are by drawing the same amount of rings in the trunk. Then, use a piece of bark to paint the outside of the tree brown.