IOWA 4-9 SCIENCE PROJECT
TEACHER GUIDE for: Trees Changing Gloria Baker
Edited by Reta Lemon
ECOLOGY.46I Grades 4-6
CONCEPT OBJECTIVE:
Through this activity the students will discover the impact of man, animals
and natural forces on trees in four areas, four times during a nine month
period of time.
PROCESS OBJECTIVES:
Students will develop observing, recording, predicting and measuring skills.
TEACHER NOTES:
This is the first in a series of four cycles Ecology.46I Trees Changing,
Ecology.469 Flowers Growing, Ecology.46A Insects Around and Ecology.46B
Birds on Wing.
Before starting this activity explore the area around your school and find
four different environments where a variety of trees can be observed. Some
areas to be looking for are an open meadow, a river or creek bank, the edge
of a woodland, a high impact park, and/or a woodland.
Have copies of summer and winter pocket-size tree guides for the students
to use.
Discuss with the students the importance of not breaking off bark and branches
of trees and not eating any fruits on trees.
MATERIALS:
For each group of 4 to 5 students:
1 clipboard, clip, pencil and 5 x 7 card
1 guide book
1 cloth or plastic measuring device either standard or metric
4 hand lens
1 data sheet to be used during the 2nd, 3rd and 4th trip
EXPLORATION:
Brainstorm with the students some changes they have observed either personal,
within the family, in their neighborhood or at school. Accept all reasonable
responses and post them on the board or overhead. Some possible changes
they have observed might include the following:
"I have grown taller this summer so my pants are short."
"We have a new baby?", "Our baby learned to walk.",
"talk."
"My mother dyed her hair.", "Dad got a butch."
"We have a new house the corner lot.", "Our house burned."
"A big limb broke off during the windstorm last night."
"We have a groundhog under our garage.", "An owl in the oak."
Discuss with the students that many of these changes are natural, growing
bigger, learning to walk and to talk, families getting bigger, branches
falling and animals coming to visit. Some changes are happy and some are
sad. Some happen because of carelessness and some cannot be controlled,
are nature caused like fires and windstorms.
Divide the class into groups of 4 to 5 students and let them select by drawing
colored toothpicks which area they will investigate four times during the
school year.
Each group needs to select a recorder, two who measure and a counter. These
positions will be filled by a different person from the group each time
the observations are made.
While the students are in their selected area they are in the first session
(early September) to measure the size and number of trees over 12 inches
in circumference, 6 to 12 inches and under 6 inches. They are also to do
a population density study and determine the number of different kinds of
trees. Record this information on the 5 x 7 card.
They are to record any recent observable changes which have occurred such
as a fallen tree, beaver marks on a tree trunk, a new bird nest hole, new
growth, paint marks on the trunks, etc. As the observations are made, within
the group, determine if the change is man-made, animal made, or natural
causes and record each on the date sheet.
During the next nine months they will be returning to this area three more
times (late October or early November, late February or early March, and
late April or early May) and recording the changes which take place and
whether man, animal, or natural causes create the changes.
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT:
Develop a large Data Sheet like the student observation sheet only include
the four areas being investigated on which to record the information gathered
each time.
Bring the groups together to discuss the information they have gathered.
Have each recorder share information and record on the class data sheet,
about the trees in their area including the following:
1. The population density.
2. Number of kinds of trees.
3. The number of trees 12" and above, 6 to 12" and under 6".
4. Evidence of impact whether man-made, animal, or natural.
Student observations might include but not be limited to the following:
"In the woodland there are 15 trees with red paint marks on them so
we put this under man-made because man has done something to the trees and
plans to do something more."
"At the creekbank we do not have any trees that are over 6" because
the power company came through a year ago and cut everything down. We put
small growth as man made because they would have been bigger if man hadn't
come in."
"The roots of eight of our trees are sticking out of the bank, because
the big rainstorm we had two weeks ago washed away much of the bank so we
counted that as natural causes."
"In the open meadow we have only seven trees over 12" and several
of them have gouges about 6" above the ground so we counted this under
man-made because we think the mower ran into them when he was turning to
avoid the tree."
"The trees at the edge of the forest are all turning colors already
so we put that under natural, because no one had any control over that."
APPLICATION:
Have available for each group part of a roll of fadeless bulletin board
paper 4' x 8' (or the length that will fit on a particular wall in your
classroom or hallway). Light green for the woodland, gold for the open meadow,
light blue for the creekbank, and another light shade of green for the edge
of the woodland. Attach these to the wall, border with a dark border, and
put a title on each to designate the environment.
Challenge each group to create a mural that would show what they observed
on their first trip. Make the trees from construction paper or twigs for
a 3-D effect, add leaves, etc.
Remind the students that they will be adding to the mural after each observation.
EVALUATION:
Teacher observations during the exploration activity and the product of
the application are all valid ways of evaluation.
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DATA SHEET GROUP _________________________
NAMES: ____________, ____________, ____________, ____________
TIME: September November March May
Density
Over 12"
6"-12"
Under 6"
Man--made
Animal
Natural