Family Curriculum
How to use this activity booklet: This booklet is for families to use while engaging in the Letters to Trees Program. Each activity can be done at home, inside or in any nearby outdoor space. Each project listed can be done individually or in any order, at your own discretion.
ACTIVITIES Anatomy of a Tree How Big Can a Tree Get? Tree Canopy Cover Tree Tracker & Observations Writing Your Letter
P.O. Box 1995 • Vancouver, WA 98668-1995 • 360-487-8000 • TTY: 360-487-8602 • www.cityofvancouver.us
Tree Anatomy
This indoor activity is good for kids in third grade age group and beyond. In it you will explore the different parts of a tree and what these parts do!.
Materials Anatomy of a Tree” worksheet Writing utensils Coloring utensils (optional)
Activity
1. Ask your child: what is a tree? “A tree is a tall plant that is typically defined by a single stem or trunk and which has lateral branches some distance from the ground.”
2. Now fill out Anatomy of a Tree worksheet (attached). Feel free to color it. What is the job of each part of the tree?
a. Trunk – trees generally have just one trunk, called a leader. Trunks are thick and strong, but they are also flexible. Food and water travel through the trunk between the roots and leaves. The trunk has multiple layers: 1. The bark is the outside layer (see more about this below). 2. Under the bark you find the phloem, which is the inner bark and transports the nutrients through the tree. 3. Next comes the cambium, which is the layer that helps the tree grow every year. 4. Fourth is the xylem, also called sapwood, which transports water through the tree. 5. Finally, you have the heartwood, which is actually dead wood that provides structure to the tree. This might seem complicated, so it might help to check out a diagram online or the Treeducation Station page for videos covering this in more depth.
b. Leaves – leaves take in sunlight and carbon dioxide, and in return give us oxygen. This is called what? Photosynthesis! Leaves also change color in the fall, from green to reds, yellows, and oranges. In spring and summer, leaves are green due to a pigment (chemical color) called chlorophyll, that takes in light. When there becomes less sun and colder air in fall, the plant stops making chlorophyll (and therefore food) and reveals the other colors, before the leaves die and fall off. Do all leaves look the same? Nope. Some leaves are large, some are small, some are tight little needles, and some are soft with lots of lopes or points.
P.O. Box 1995 • Vancouver, WA 98668-1995 • 360-487-8000 • TTY: 360-487-8602 • www.cityofvancouver.us
c. Fruit – do all trees have fruit? No, but most of the flowering ones do, like apple trees! Is all fruit edible for us? Also no, but some fruit that we can’t eat other animals can, like birds or deer.
d. Bark – the bark is the outer layer of the tree, and covers all the woody spots. The bark protects the tree from insects and other pests, and keeps the tree insulated. If you were to peel off the bark from a tree, that would kill the tree. Did you know that if you peel off even a small section, the tree might not be able to heal and it could die? If we get a cut on our skin, we heal, but trees don’t heal, they seal over wounds instead. What does that mean? Trees grow by producing individual layers of wood every year, very different from how animals grow (producing many cells that divide and work together). When a tree has an open wound, it can’t replace the wood that it lost, so instead continues to grow more layers that eventually work to cover the wound. But this can take a long time and may not be able to grow over a very large area. For more information about this, read How a Tree Grows.
e. Roots – the roots are one of the most important parts of the tree, and they work very hard even if we can’t see them. Roots typically only grow about 18 inches down in the soil, so they actually don’t grow very deep. Why? Because one of the purposes of the roots is to take in water and nutrients from the soil, like nitrogen. Could we find these things if we go super far down in the ground? No, because these nutrients are usually concentrated in the top layers of soil where most other organisms live. This means that the roots don’t need to grow very deep to get the nutrients they need. Roots also allow the tree to connect with other trees and share nutrients. This can mean that if you cut a tree down, the stump might still be able to survive, because the other trees connecting roots with it will share their nutrients! Finally, roots keep the tree stable in the ground, allowing it to stay strongly in place during heavy winds. For more information about root systems, you can watch the video How Trees Talk to Each Other
3. Now take the backside of your original drawing of a tree and time yourself again for 5 or 10 seconds to draw a tree. Compare your drawing now to what you drew before. Is there anything you left out or added this time?
4. When you’ve completed the anatomy, consider doing an art project – draw or paint your own tree, making sure to include all the parts of a tree. What do your leaves look like on your tree? Are there any animals that are living in or around your tree? Did you include the roots? Be creative!
Find the Tree Anatomy Worksheet on the following page.
P.O. Box 1995 • Vancouver, WA 98668-1995 • 360-487-8000 • TTY: 360-487-8602 • www.cityofvancouver.us
Anatomy of a Tree
Read the descriptions below and then match them to the words.
Roots Sometimes found in fruit, travels to make more trees
Trunk Processes food for the tree
Bark Main support of the tree
Branches Extract food and water from soil, hold tree in place
Twigs Slim woody shoots that grow from branches and hold leaves
Leaves Protective outer layer
Seeds Woody parts of tree that grow from the trunk
Write the correct word in each box to label the parts of the tree.
P.O. Box 1995 • Vancouver, WA 98668-1995 • 360-487-8000 • TTY: 360-487-8602 • www.cityofvancouver.us
How Big Can a Tree Get?
This outdoor activity involves learning sizes, how to measure things, and allows you and your child to explore some of the tallest things in the world! This is good for kids in third grade and beyond.
Materials Concrete space – at least 30 feet (ex. Driveway, sidewalk, parking lot) Chalk Tape measurer
Activity
1. Trees can grow very tall, and they can also grow very wide, some trees bigger than others. Do you know what the tallest tree in the world is? A redwood, called Sequoia sempervirens. Have you ever seen one? Look at pictures of the redwood trees online. This tree species can grow over 300 feet tall. a. Did you know the tallest tree in the world is names Hyperion, and it is 379.7 feet tall? This tree is found in California, but its exact location is kept a secret so people don’t visit and disturb the tree. By “disturb” we mean climbing on it, touching the bark, taking pine cones, or stomping on the soil around the tree and therefore disturbing the roots.
2. Okay, so we know that the tallest tree species in the world is over 300 feet tall. But what does that mean? We are going to explore heights of trees, and compare these heights to things we are familiar with. You will want to do this outside, on a space with over 25 feet of cement (so a driveway, parking lot, or the sidewalk). So grab your chalk and either a ruler or (ideally) a measuring tape), and head on outside!
3. To truly get the size of a tree, you want to know what that is compared to other things we know. Now, we can’t exactly draw everything to scale, as that would be too difficult. So instead, we are going to convert everything from feet into inches. For example, you are first going to use the chalk to draw yourself. If you are 4 feet tall, you are going to draw yourself on the ground as 4 inches tall. Feel free to add color! Make sure that you leave enough room for everything else that you will draw.
4. Now let’s draw a semi-truck, because those can get pretty big! Semis can be 13.5 feet tall. Draw one 13.5 inches tall next to you.
5. Next you are going to draw a Douglas fir tree. Do you know what a Douglas fir tree looks like? Look it up online, and then look around where you are working.
P.O. Box 1995 • Vancouver, WA 98668-1995 • 360-487-8000 • TTY: 360-487-8602 • www.cityofvancouver.us5
Odds are, you can see a Douglas fir tree close by, or at least the tops of some farther away. These are big fir trees that provide great habitat to wildlife in the city, and they are very beautiful. When you know what a Douglas fir tree looks like, draw one standing next to you. Along the coast of Washington and Oregon, this tree can get almost to 300 feet tall, but everywhere else you will generally only find this tree at about 70 feet tall. When you draw your tree, make it 70 inches tall. How does that compare to you? Isn’t that crazy?
6. The tallest animal on earth is the giraffe. From head to foot, the giraffe can reach up to 19 feet tall. Draw a giraffe to compare. They wouldn’t even fit into a semi!
7. Another tree you’ll find a lot of here is the Oregon White Oak. These trees are very important habitat trees too, and are protected in Vancouver so you can’t cut them down without permission. Look up the Oregon White Oak. This tree can get up to 90 feet tall! Draw it next to you and the Douglas fir.
8. Next let’s draw the Great Sphinx of Giza. This incredible statue, found in Egypt, is 66 feet tall. Check out some pictures of it, if you’ve never seen it before.
9. Finally, let’s draw a redwood tree. These 300 feet-tall giants tower over most living things. Draw the redwood. If you want, you can draw Hyperion at 379 inches (normally feet). Compare your actual physical self to the picture you drew. You are still small, even when converting everything into inches!
10. Find other things in your life to draw. How tall is your house? Your car? What’s your favorite animal? How do all these things compare to a redwood? What’s taller than a redwood tree?
Fun Fact: Redwoods can grow between 3 and 10 feet every year, making them some of the fastest-growing living things on earth.
P.O. Box 1995 • Vancouver, WA 98668-1995 • 360-487-8000 • TTY: 360-487-8602 • www.cityofvancouver.us6
Tree Canopy Exploration
This online activity is a fun way to teach older kids (and possibly yourself) about tree canopy coverage and what Vancouver’s canopy looks like!
Materials Computer Internet access
Activity
1. The ideal canopy cover for a city in Washington is 40%. That means if you look down at the city like a bird, you should see 40% trees and 60% buildings and open spaces. Vancouver’s canopy cover is only 18.6%. That’s way lower than it should be for us to get the best benefits from trees, like clean air and water.
2. So now you’ll explore Vancouver’s canopy cover in more detail. Go to MapsOnline with Clark County: gis.clark.wa.gov/mapsonline/index.cfm.
3. Once here, click “2018” under the “Layers” tab to show the aerial footage of Clark County in 2018.
4. Then, under “Search”, type in your address and press “Find”. Looking at your home, see if you can tell where there is tree canopy and where there is not. Do you have a lot of canopy? How much do you think you have (what percent)? Are you at the ideal Washington canopy coverage?
5. Type in other addresses, like schools or a nearby park. How does the canopy coverage differ? Could more trees be put in? a. You can also click on different years to see how the tree canopy at your house and in your neighborhood has changed through time!
P.O. Box 1995 • Vancouver, WA 98668-1995 • 360-487-8000 • TTY: 360-487-8602 • www.cityofvancouver.us7
Tree Tracker & Observations
This activity is great for exploring the tree that you want to write about. Take time to go outside, observe your tree, and become familiar with it. You can also turn this into a long- term activity, completing every week or even every month or season, to see how the tree has changed!
Materials Tree Tracker sheet (optional) and writing utensil
Observing Your Tree
1. Look at the different parts of the tree again. What are the benefits that this tree gives? Where is the canopy of this tree? Is it high or low, compared with other trees around? Will this tree get bigger? Do you think it’s very old? (For a list of the many benefits of trees, visit cityofvancouver.us/urbanforetry/treesources).
2. Explore the area using four of your five senses (avoid taste). Look for evidence of wildlife (nests, nuts on the ground, etc) and make observations about the tree. If there are branches, leaves/needles, and seeds or pinecones, touch and observe them more closely.
3. Look for any wildlife in the branches or in the soil around the tree by getting on your hands and knees. Do you see any roots? What kinds of animals and plants would make this tree home? Think about all levels of life – fungi, lichen/moss, birds, reptiles, mammals, etc.
Tree Tracker
Your Heritage Tree isn’t going anywhere, so you can take your family out continuously throughout the year to observe changes to your tree. You can even track them in the My Tree Tacker provided in this document. Other observations (monthly, etc.) o Use 4 of your 5 senses to make observations about the tree. o Look for any changes in the tree. Are there any new or missing branches? Changes to the roots? Has the tree changed in size or shape? Use a tape measurer to find the width of the tree at 5 feet high. You can track this throughout the year to see if the tree is growing. o Look for signs of wildlife. Any nests in the tree? Nuts lying around from squirrels? Have they seen any wildlife nearby? Close your eyes and listen to the wind and for any birds.
P.O. Box 1995 • Vancouver, WA 98668-1995 • 360-487-8000 • TTY: 360-487-8602 • www.cityofvancouver.us8
Seasonal observations/activities: o Autumn . Make note of changes in the weather. Is there more or less daylight now than in previous months? Do you think this might impact the tree? . What color are the leaves now? Describe their appearance. Discuss why the leaves are changing color and falling; bring in the changing daylight and how this impacts the amount of green color that is being made. Now the other colors are more visible! . If your tree is an evergreen, observe that evergreens will shed their needles, but not all at once and over a long period of time. Do some research – how often does your tree shed its needles? Every 2, 3, or 4 years? . Close your eyes and listen to the wind in the tree. . Use 4 of your 5 senses to observe the tree. Are there any signs of wildlife? Has the tree grown? Any changes in appearance to the tree besides the leaves? o Winter: . Use 4 of their 5 senses to observe the tree. Are there any signs of wildlife? Has the tree grown? Any changes in appearance to the tree besides the missing leaves? Any changes to the evergreen trees? . Do you think the tree is dead? Why or why not? Make a hypothesis. Then, scratch a fingernail on the bark of a branch or the trunk of a smaller tree. If there is green underneath, the tree is still alive. . Remember that you shouldn’t scratch the bark off all trees and should only make a small mark, because trees can’t heal like humans do and they need to be covered in bark to survive. Remind yourselves what the bark does – keep in nutrients and water, cool the tree, keep out insects/pests. . Do you think the tree is still important in the ecosystem? Just because it’s hibernating doesn’t mean the tree has stopped providing benefits. What wildlife might use the tree? o Spring: . Use 4 of your 5 senses to observe the tree. Are there any signs of wildlife? Has the tree grown? . Look for anything on the branches. Do some research: Is this a flowering tree? Or does it have needles and produce pinecones? Look up how many seeds a tree produces. The answer is often in the millions. How many of those seeds become big, mature trees? Only one seed will become a grown-up tree. What challenges will a seed face and why do so few survive? . Look for any new leaves growing. How many leaves do you think are going to grow? Do they all grow at the same time or in the same shape? o Summer:
P.O. Box 1995 • Vancouver, WA 98668-1995 • 360-487-8000 • TTY: 360-487-8602 • www.cityofvancouver.us9
. Use 4 of your 5 senses to observe the tree. Has the tree grown? Any changes in appearance to the tree besides the leaves? . Lie down next to the tree on your backs and watch the sky. Take a moment to close your eyes and listen to the birds or watch the clouds. What animals do you see or hear around? . What benefits the tree gives in the summer? Remember that trees can help lower temperatures and provide lovely shade. What other benefits do trees provide?
P.O. Box 1995 • Vancouver, WA 98668-1995 • 360-487-8000 • TTY: 360-487-8602 • www.cityofvancouver.us10
My Tree Tracker
Draw a picture of your tree. Does it look different from the last picture you drew? Date: ______Season:______Are the days long or short right now?______How many times have you visited your tree? ______
Nominate a Heritage Tree! Is your tree deciduous (loses its leaves in Do you have a tree or know of one that should be a Heritagethe Tree? fall) Nominate or evergreen? it! The selection process for these trees is ongoing, so there is never a bad time to apply.
To be nominated, a tree must be in good condition and have the consent of the property owner. Consent is binding and will apply to all future property owners, successors, or heirs. Nominations are reviewed by the Urban Forestry Commission. Heritage Tree Status is granted if the tree meets any or all of the following requirements: Size – a diameter of at least 36 inches Special site location Relation to a historical event Does your treeUnusual look species bigger for than the thearea, last or timeexemplary formWhat for the is speciesthe species of your tree? you saw it? To nominate, fill out our Heritage Tree Nomination Packet and return to Vancouver Urban Forestry. This packet is found on the Urban Forestry website and on the Letters to Trees page. You can reach out to Vancouver Urban Forestry for support in this process. Contact Jessica George at [email protected].
Do you see other plants growing on the tree? What animals do you see around the tree? Moss or lichen? Ferns? Mushrooms? Do they live in the tree or just visit for food?
P.O. Box 1995 • Vancouver, WA 98668-1995 • 360-487-8000 • TTY: 360-487-8602 • www.cityofvancouver.us11
Writing Your Letter
This can be done inside after visiting the tree or preferably outside with the tree. Supplies include paper, and option of pens, pencils, crayons, paint, etc. If you would be more comfortable writing in a different language than English, that is encouraged! If writing is a challenge, have your kids draw a picture instead. You can have a variety of pictures and letters in your submission.
Completing the Activity
Letters: 1. Write a letter to the Heritage Tree. If this is the first time your kids have written one, teach them the process. You can use the sample letter provided.
2. Then have your students write the letter. Topics you can choose from are: Tell the tree a story about something that happened to you this week, share a joke, tell the tree why you are thankful for it, talk about an experience you’ve had with a tree in your life, describe your favorite tree, write a poem about this tree.
Pictures: 1. If your kid(s) would rather draw, they can draw or paint a picture. Topics you can provide include: The tree itself, a certain part of the tree in detail, wildlife you would find on the tree, a portrait of the kid and the tree or the tree and family/friends, or something that trees give us, like food and shade and happiness.
Submitting
To submit your Letters to Trees, you can either scan and email them all to Urban Forestry at [email protected], or put them in an envelope together and mail them to Vancouver Urban Forestry PO Box 1995 Vancouver, WA 98668.
Make sure to fill out the Submission Form. You only need to fill one out for your family. Please make sure to let us know what Heritage Tree you have used. That way we can attach the letters to the correct trees online. You can include a cool photo of the tree or your family with the tree if you want. If you include your family, please make sure to fill out the photo release form on the city website or Letters to Trees page. If someone in your family doesn’t want their submission displayed, put their name and submission piece name in the Do Not Display section of the submission sheet.
If you have any comments, questions, or want any additional resources, please contact the city at [email protected].
P.O. Box 1995 • Vancouver, WA 98668-1995 • 360-487-8000 • TTY: 360-487-8602 • www.cityofvancouver.us12
Other Materials
Visit the City of Vancouver’s Treeducation Station on the Urban Forestry webpage for more activities, videos, and resources, including a puzzle book for kids and one for adults. Read: WishTree by Katherine Applegate – Ages 8-12 years Read: Plant for the Planet by Felix & Friends. You can also visit https://www.plant- for-the-planet.org/en/home for more information. Use this book and website to get your kids excited about taking care of their environment and learning what other kids are doing around the world! Download apps like iNaturalist, PlantSnap, PlantFinder, and PlantNet for plant identification.
Resources
American Forest Foundation. Project Learning Tree: PreK-8 Environmental Education Activity Guide. 2015. City of Vancouver Urban Tree Canopy Assessment: https://www.cityofvancouver.us/sites/default/files/fileattachments/public_works/ page/1389/canopy_report.pdf https://mytreeplanet.org/blogs/news/10-interesting-facts-about-forests https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable-development- goals/goal-15-life-on-land/targets.html http://www.hrg-inc.com/reduce-speeding-with-speed-humps-and-other-traffic- control-techniques/?print=print https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/biodiversity/
P.O. Box 1995 • Vancouver, WA 98668-1995 • 360-487-8000 • TTY: 360-487-8602 • www.cityofvancouver.us13