This project not only focuses on most areas of the science standards,  but also provides students with real life experience working on mathematics and language arts, social studies, and life skills. Students learn about ratio, percent, data collection, data analysis, how to input, read data, and form conclusions from data on spreadsheets and how to convert it to graphical form. Students express their conclusions by keeping a daily journal that will include observations, photos, narrations, and communication with e-pals.  By communicating with students across the country, they become more familiar with these areas of the country and make comparisons with their own area.

• Suggested Preliminary Activities
• Extended Teacher Instruction for Collaborative Project

This project can be modified to identify the rebirth of leaves in the spring. Data can be collected to determine the factors which begin the process of regrowth of leaves. This would complete the cyclical process of trees. Please look for further information on this project in the future.

• Useful Links

Many useful links are included throughout this site. To see them listed in one place click above.

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Objective:  To decide what characteristics define a tree.

Activity One: Introduce vocabulary terms:

Activity two:

• Take a walk around school with pen and paper in hand. Have students write down, draw, or take pictures of examples of the plant life they find.
• Return to the classroom, discuss and write down what plant life was discovered on the nature walk.
• Ask the students to classify the plant life they found as a shrub, flower, deciduous tree, or coniferous tree.
• Have the students record this in their journals.

Homework: Based on their observations, have students answer in their journals the question, "What makes a tree? How is it different from a flower or a shrub?"

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Objective: To define the structure and function of a tree.

Activity one: Discuss homework question.

Activity two: Identify parts of a tree and their functions:

leaf

trunk

branches

root

Activity three: Scavenger Hunt (See Activity Page). Record all answers in journals.

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Objective: To identify that different trees have different characteristics.

Activity one:

• Give the students a list of ten names of different trees. (Try to include trees found in the area surrounding your school.)
• Direct students to the following two internet sites: http://207.198.146.139:8080/ECOSYS/Deciduous.html

http://gaia.flemingc.on.ca/~dhendry/nrstrid.htm

• Have the students choose three different trees.
• Instruct students to list as many characteristics as they can find about each tree in their journals.

Activity two: Students will brainstorm about how different trees have different characteristics. Guide thediscussion to include how trees can be identified by investigating the characteristics.

Homework: Each student collect leaves and bring them to class.

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Objective: To understand the different characteristics of leaves.

Activity one: Journal Writing

• Have students describe their leaf- shape, color, edges, length, veins (in words).
• Draw a picture/sketch your leaf and label its parts.

Homework: Have students collect five different types of leaves and bring to class.

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Objective: To understand how leaf arrangement and structure can be used for tree identification

Activity one:

• Ask the students to observe the leaves that they brought to school.
• Using the following internet sites have the students identify their leaves.

See sites :

http://207.198.146.139:8080/ECOSYS/General %20Traits.html

http://www.fw.vt.edu/dendro/forsite/Idtree.htm

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Objective: To understand how leaf arrangement and structure can be used for tree identification.

Activity one: Take the class on a walk around the school building or local area and identify trees by using the leaf structures and arrangements observed and discussed in class. Have students collect a variety of leaves for other classroom activities.Have students sort leaves accorting to their characteristics and decide what kind of tree they come from.

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Objective: To make prediction

• Have student take five different leaves.
• Trace leaves on white construction paper.
• Have students predict the color their leaves will change. Then have them color their leaves with the predicted color.

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Objective: Students will know what to look for when observing the change of colors of leaves

Journal writing: Students write what they will observe in leaf changes.

Discuss things to observe:

• Do leaves change from green to yellow?
• Do they change all over?
• Do they change to any other color?
• Do they change in sections?
• Which leaves change faster-the smaller leaves or the larger ones?
• Do different kinds of trees change at different times or to different colors?
• Give your opinion of this process.

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Objective: Describe causes for green color in leaves.

Activity: Journal Writing: Using the various given sites, students will answer the question, "Why are leaves green?"

• http://www.beakman.com/interact/leaf.html
• http://www.cgs.clemson.edu/leaves.htm
• http://willow.nctes.umn.edu/leaves/leaves.htm

Now that we know the basics, we are ready to begin the project!! Go to __ to get started.Students are divided into 5 groups. Each group choses one of the following hypotheses (or form their own) as to the major cause of change in leaf color. They will then follow the changes keeping their hypothesis in mind. At the end of the 12 weeks, students will compare charts for % of change with charts for other variables at each location. Data analysis will show which variable is probably the most important.

Hypotheses for each group:

        Hypothesis 1 - Group 1: Latitude affects when leaves change color.
        Hypothesis 2 - Group 2:  High temperatureaffects the percentage of change.
        Hypothesis 3 - Group 3:  Low temperature affects the percentage of change.
        Hypothesis 4 - Group 4:  The difference between the high and low temperatures affects the
                                                 percent of change.
        Hypothesis 5 - Group 5:  The amount of daylight hours affects the percentage of change.

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