The fifth graders are working on an Adopt a Tree project in science. Each student has selected a tree out in our school forest and is spending time getting to know their tree better. They need to research the scientific name and record information about the tree's leaves, bark, branches and surroundings. They also are taking photographs of their trees each time we visit them. These photographs will be put into an Animoto slide show to show the phenology of their tree.
The students also spent some time studying branches off of local deciduous trees. They needed to record information about the opposite or alternate arrangement of branches, the leaves and the bark. They now should be able to identify at least 6 different trees that are common in our woods.