Radford University
Trouble in the Orchard
It's no fun catching a fungus. Scholars first investigate how the seasons affect the angle of the sun and the lengths of shadows. They then apply right triangle trigonometry to determine the height of trees based on their shadows to...
Curated OER
Dating a Volcanic Eruption
Students discover the various ways in which tree rings can give information. After a brief disucssion of concentric tree rings, they use cross section cut outs of tree rings to identify the time and type of various naturally occuring...
Curated OER
Find the Meaning of Christmas with Charlie Brown
The spirit of the holidays can shine through with an exploration of A Charlie Brown Christmas and activities that focus on giving.
Curated OER
Time and Seasons
Here is an engaging crossword puzzle which focuses on time and the seasons of the year. Learners determine the answers to 17 clues using words that are associated with time and seasons. They complete sentences about months, holidays,...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Preparing for Project BudBurst
Male deer growing antlers to begin the breeding season is an example of a phenological event. First in a four-part series is an activity requiring individuals to collect phenological data on their campus. Classes discuss phenology, the...
Curated OER
Exploring Weather Conditions Through Painting
Your advanced class will paint a picture of a particular weather condition. In this painting lesson students describe elements of art in pieces of artwork. They analyze the weather and seasons in the artwork. The students use paper,...
Curated OER
Adopt a Tree
Students adopt tress on their school campus for scientific observation purposes. In this tree science lesson, students adopt a tree at their school, observe the season changes for the tree, and create a PowerPoint presentation about the...
Curated OER
Look At Those Leaves!
Students observe, measure, and sort tree leaves. They examine leaves individually, in groups, and in relationship to the entire tree. They become familiar with the seasonal changing of leaves. They realize that these and other changes...
NASA
The Effects of Sunspots on Climate
In this sunspots and climate change learning exercise, learners use a diagram of a tree stump and its rings to determine the age of the tree. They use sunspot data from the internet and they construct an Excel spreadsheet to compare the...
Curated OER
Tree Talk
Students discuss trees, leaves, and the growth process In this 1st - 3rd grade lesson plan, students identify various types of leaves, recognizing the differences in size and shape. Students create tracings of various leaves to...
Curated OER
Seasons
Students explore the four seasons. In this seasons lesson, students create a class tree. Students make leaves for the tree for each of the seasons. Students mark their paper into fourths and draw a picture of the seasons.
Global Oneness Project
A Vanishing Island
The effects of rising sea levels on Isle de Jean Charles, located off the coast of Louisiana, are documented in Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee's poignant short video. Viewers are asked to consider not only the plight of residents but also what...
Curated OER
Look At Those Leaves!
Kids observe, classify, and measure tree leaves with a scientific eye. They examine leaves, group them according their attributes, and use standard units of measurement as they compare their sizes. They access a web site to learn how...
Curated OER
Climate Change
Students focus on the production of maple syrup in Northern New England as they study the effects of climate change. They investigate other environmental factors on the forests of Northern New England.
Curated OER
The Climate Change Skeptic's Argument: Natural Solar Cycles or Human Activity?
Teachers explore patterns in sunspots and total solar irradiance to understand the counterpoint to the human effect of global warming. In this professional development tool, teachers work through a lesson plan on the sun's natural...
Curated OER
Our Friends the Trees
Students explore trees and learn about their importance to the environment. In this tree study lesson, students work in groups to complete a tree survey, a map for the survey, and several worksheets about the tree topics. students make a...
Curated OER
Tree Cookies
Students identify heartwood, sapwood, and a tree's annual rings, infer from a tree's rings what damage or stress might have occurred in its life, and make a time-line of human history that coincides with a tree's rings.
Curated OER
Trees: Recorders of Climate Change
Students study cross sections of trees or tree "cookies" to discover how the rings on tree sections give clues to the climate during the time the ring was produced. They study simulated cross sections of trees to determine the climate...
Curated OER
Add the Prepositions to Complete the Story
What is a preposition? How many can you list? This worksheet has learners fill in the blanks with prepositions listed at the top of the page. Great practice opportunity!
Curated OER
Seasonal Cycles And Changes
Second graders recall the affect of direct and angled sunlight on the seasons, describe some results of warming soil and air in spring, predict the changes in buds when twigs are placed in water, and taste a product of tree sap and...
Curated OER
Tree Friends
Students are introduced to tree structure and use. They identify their special tree using all senses except sight. Students identify six different internal parts within a cross section of tree trunk (bark, phloem, xylem, cambium,...
Curated OER
Weather "Whys" Lesson 2 Seasons
Students explore seasons. In this cross curriculum weather and seasons lesson, students identify characteristics of the four seasons and sequence related pictures. Students listen to poems and stories about trees in different...
Curated OER
Bats: Need Nectar, Will Travel
Beginning wildlife biologists become adult bats, baby bats, snakes, owls, bobcats, or land-clearing developers in a grand role-playing activity. In a large open space, they play a game in which they move to designated areas based on what...
Curated OER
The Seasons
Second graders determine the ways in which deciduous trees lose their leaves by investigating fallen leaves and how the weather changes throughout the seasons. They obtain knowledge about why and what causes the weather to change...