Science Education Resource Center
Compare and Contrast deciduous and evergreen tree leaves to aid in tree identification
Boost observational skills and get to know the difference between deciduous, coniferous, and evergreen trees with a lesson that challenges scholars to compare, contrast, identify, sort, and draw their findings.
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Keys To Trees: Dichotomous Tree Identification
Ninth graders gather samples of different tree leaves in their neighborhoods, and on school grounds, and identify several species of common South Carolina trees using leaf and growth characteristics with aid of dichotomous key.
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Leaf & Tree Identification
Students discover new vocabulary associated with trees and leaves. Using a key, they practice identifying the trees on school grounds and at home. They collect leaf samples, make diagrams and label the features on the leaves.
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Tree Identification/Tree Art
Seventh graders identify and examine a deciduous and coniferous tree. Using the descriptions, they discover the types of tress in their local area. As a class, they practice identifying trees on a walk in a park collecting leaves. They...
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Palo Verde Identification Key
Students explore a key with characteristics to distinguish between the four Palo Verde trees in Arizona.
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Tree Identification
High schoolers list four ways to identify trees. In this tree identification instructional activity, students use tree identification techniques such as leafs, bark, wood grain, soil type, and climate to create tables and graphs.
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Forest Fun
Students explore orienteering and how to use a compass. They explore the importance of forests and identify some of the trees in a local forest.
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Create a Community Tree Tour
Students study tree identification. In this tree identification lesson, students design and assemble a tree tour booklet describing 5 trees found in their community. The booklet should feature common and Latin names of the species, a...
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What's That Tree?
Fifth graders identify trees along a nature trail. Using a dichotomous key, 5th graders answer questions to aid in their identification of trees along a specified nature trail. Observations are recorded in their science journals. Sample...
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A Tree-mendous Project
Seventh graders use their observation and measurement skills to identify trees. Using a tree diagram, they label the parts and discuss the functions of the tree. They practice using a dichotomous key to identify trees as well.
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Tree Identification by the Use of Leaves
Students explore trees and their leaves. In this tree identification lesson, students observe items and are able to identify them by the five clues they are given. Once the leaves are identified, students in each group sketch the leaves,...
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How Do We Know Which Trees to Tap?
Students examine tree identification keys to identify maple trees for sap tapping. They interpret tree identification keys and mark maples that can be used for sap harvesting. They take digital pictures of the trees they identify.
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Leaf ID and Leaf Bingo
Third graders explore the parts of a leaf and use a dichotomy key to identify leaves. In this biology lesson, learners study characteristics of various leaves and play a game of bingo to identify leaves by their traits. Students find and...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Impacts of Climate on Forest Succession
Part two in a series of four explores the effects of climate on succession or the changing of plant species in a forest. Groups review how to identify trees and then spend a day in the field collecting extensive data on trees to...
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Tree and Leaf Terminology
Third graders draw leaves. In this tree and leaf identification lesson, 3rd graders find 4 or 5 trees that are on their home property and collect samples from them. Students work in groups to identify the leaves and compare those answers...
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The Tree Detective - Basic Dendrology
Students identify tree species by their leaf characteristics. In this dendrology lesson, students learn leaf vocabulary and collect leaves. They identify the leaves using the leaf characteristics and the vocabulary that they learned.
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Does One Tree a Forest Make?
Students take a walk around the schoolyard looking at and identifying the trees. One leaf for each tree is collected. A chart is developed that represents the population of trees on the school ground. They keep journals and write an essay.
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Dichotomous Keys
Students define the word dichotomous and explain why a dichotomous key is a useful tool in identifying different species. Then they look up words they are unfamiliar with or mollusk reference books so students can
learn the names of...
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Tree ID Booklet
Young scholars make a booklet of leaves they find and identify the tree they came from. In this tree identification lesson plan, students research the leaves on the internet to determine the tree they come from.
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Tree Identification
In this tree identification worksheet, students collect samples from different trees and identify them using the deciduous tree guide or the conifer key.
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Dichotomous Key for Identifying Pine Trees
Middle schoolers identify the species of pine trees that are found in their area. They use unlabeled "mystery" samples and a dichotomous key to identify the pine trees to species. After identification, they use a field guide to answer...
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Dichotomous Keys
Students utilize dichotomous keys to identify trees in their schools. In this ecological identification lesson, students practice creating dichotomous keys based on simple subjects such as hair color or sex of a person. Students use...
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Tree Identification
Students are introduced to the characteristics of trees and different techniques to identify them. They distinguish between a deciduous and a coniferous tree. Students describe at least four characteristics used to identify trees. They...
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Name that plant!
What is a dichotomous key? When your kids ask, hand them a learning exercise like this one, to explain it. They use the key to identify four different trees, based on the budding twigs they've produced. Tip: Have learners extend this...