American Chestnut “Learning Boxes”: Suggested Items, Themes, and Topics

Suggested basic items to include in box:

American chestnut leaves, nuts, burs Photographs of American chestnut tree, bark, flowers Cross section of American chestnut trunk or branch Length of American chestnut trunk or branch with canker Block of antique American chestnut wood Map of original American chestnut range Chestnut tree identification resources (e.g., tree comparison chart [The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) Web site], tree identification cards [Virginia Chapter Web site]) Chart illustrating TACF’s backcross breeding program Checklist of items in box “How to use this box” sheet Descriptions of each item (with diagrams pointing to key characteristics) Descriptions of suggested topics for discussion Photos, articles, other resource materials on American chestnut trees (especially products of TACF, such as the Journal) Handheld magnifier

Suggested optional items to include in box:

Chinese chestnut leaves, nuts, burs Leaves, nuts, burs of other castanea species Leaves (and nuts) of related and/or similar trees (e.g., chestnut oak, horsechestnut) Photographs of other castanea specie trees Section of trunk or branch showing blight fungus inoculation sites Slides of sections of leaves from American chestnut and other castanea species for microscopic study Guidebook to trees of eastern North America Book Mighty Giants: An American Chestnut Anthology Handheld microscope

Notes: Leaves, charts and paper items should be laminated or otherwise protected. For leaf-hair studies, a bench-top dissecting microscope is an asset. Many of the physical artifacts (such as leaves, burs, and wood) and photographs can be provided by the author. Topics can be an interesting starting point for a broader discussion. For example, chestnut wood characteristics, such as non-uniform drying and shrinking (causing radial and ring shakes) can be used to launch a lesson on “what is in a cell.” (The shrinkage is mainly due to loss of water, similar to a grape becoming a raison.)

Page 1 of 2. Version of 10-02-08. Gary P. Carver

Suggested Themes and Topics for Discussion Using Items in Resource Box

Theme Topics Items in resource box Identification of American chestnut Tree relationships (e.g., beech, oak), American chestnut leaves, nuts, burs trees, comparison to similar species properties, comparison among Photographs of American chestnut tree, bark, flowers different types of trees Chestnut identification resources Comparison to Chinese chestnut trees (Optional) Leaves, nuts, burs of other castanea species (e.g., forest vs. orchard shape, leaves, (optional) Leaves (and nuts) of related and/or similar buds, lenticels, stipules, twig color, trees (e.g., chestnut oak, horsechestnut) etc.) (Optional) Chinese chestnut leaves, nuts, burs Microscopic study of castanea leaf (Optional) Leaves, nuts, burs of other castanea species hairs (Optional) Photographs of castanea specie trees (Optional) Slides with sections of leaves from American chestnut other castanea species (Optional) Guidebook to trees of North America (Optional) Slides with sections of leaves from American chestnut and other castanea species (Optional) Handheld microscope American chestnut blight Story of the spread of the blight and Chart of TACF’s breeding program how the fungus kills the trees Map of original American chestnut range Invasive alien species, what is a Length of American chestnut trunk or branch with fungus, associated concepts canker Breeding program of The American Cross section of American chestnut trunk or branch Chestnut Foundation (Optional) Section of trunk showing blight fungus Hypovirulence-related research inoculation sites (Optional) Photos, books, published articles on American chestnut and the blight American chestnut commerce and Impact of the blight on the Map of original American chestnut range ecology Appalachian economy and ecology American chestnut nuts Chestnuts as food Cross section of American chestnut trunk or branch Mast in the forest Length of American chestnut trunk or branch with Characteristics of American chestnut canker wood (and wood, in general) [e.g., Block of antique American chestnut wood annual rings, “ring porous woods,” (Optional) Other supporting materials non-uniform drying and shrinking (Optional) Guidebook to trees of North America (leading to radial and ring shakes), sapwood vs. heartwood, etc.]

Page 2 of 2. Version of 10-02-08. Gary P. Carver