Teacher's Guide Activity 1 - Grades 6th - 8th

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1 Teacher's Guide Activity 1 - Grades 6th - 8th GOAL: To classify trees VOCABULARY: broadleaved, coniferous, conifer, evergreen, deciduous, gymnosperms, angiosperms, softwood, hardwood, dichotomous key BACKGROUND: A tree is a perennial, woody plant. It is distinguished from other plants by it's size (over 2 feet at maturity) and its single, woody stem (generally called its trunk). Trees can be classified into two general groups, broadleaved and coniferous or conifers. Broadleaved trees have broad, flat leaves. Many broadleaved trees are deciduous, however they can be evergreen, such as the madrone or rhododendron. Coniferous trees have needles and cones and most are evergreen, however, they can be deciduous, such as the western larch. Botanists classify trees and other plants as angiosperms, and gymnosperms. Angiosperms bear their seed inside a fully developed ovary. Gymnosperms have naked seeds. Coniferous trees are gymnosperms, their seeds are contained in cones, such as fir cones, cedar cones and pine cones. Broadleaved trees are almost always angiosperms. Their seeds are covered with fleshy tissue, such as a fruit or a nut. Typically, coniferous trees are refereed to as softwood trees and broadleaved trees are referred to as hardwood trees. There are some exceptions, including deciduous trees such as cottonwood and balsa, both which have relatively softwood. Dimensional lumber and wood pulp from paper generally are made from softwoods. Flooring and fine furniture is generally made from hardwood. In Oregon we have thirty-five species of broadleaved trees and thirty species of coniferous trees. Coniferous trees, however, dominate Oregon's forests. As your students learn to identify individual trees, it is important to start with a broader classification approach. One technique of classifying trees is the use of a dichotomous key. A dichotomous key begins with a pair of items; such as trees with needle-like leaves and leaves that are flattened and scale-like. As the students work through the key, eventually they will begin to identify individual trees. STUDENT ACTIVITIES: Defme vocabulary. Have students categorize the first eight vocabulary words into two groups: I) Coniferous, gymnosperms, usually softwood, usually evergreen and 2) Broadleaved, angiosperms, usually hardwood, usually deciduous. Define dichotomous key. Divide the your students into two groups, male and female. Use the dichotomous key that follows (MS # I) and "key out" your students using the listed characteristics. Pass out the dichotomous key that follows (MS #2). Discuss how keying out trees is similar to keying out kids. Divide the students into groups. Assign each group a section of the school grounds. Have the students map out the different trees. Specify if the trees are Broadleaved or Coniferous. EXTENDED ACTIVITIES:. Using tree identification books, identify all the trees on the school property.. Look up the scientific name of each tree on the school property.. Have students select a native Oregon tree and write a research paper about the tree. Include the region in which the tree grows its growth habits and commercial uses.. Divide the class into two groups. Have one group make a mural of a Hardwood Forest while the other group makes a mural of a Coniferous Forest. Make sure that the trees are realistic representations of native trees. Have students label the trees.. Using the information on MS#3, define the parts of a leaf: bud, petiole, veins, blade, and margin, mid-rib. Take leafrubbings and label the parts.. Using the information on MS#3, further defme leaf characteristics, such as simple, compound, oval, ovate, elliptic, lanceolate, linear, cordate, palmately lobed, pinnately lobed. Continue learning about leaves using Project Learning Tree's activities, "Looking at Leaves" and Name That Tree". I

2 . Make a model of a leaf cross section with gelatin and fruit, using Ranger Rick's ScoRe: Trees are Terrific activity, "Eat a Leaf'.. Research why leaves "change" color in the fall.. Conduct an experiment to separate leaf pigments, using Ranger Rick's Nature ScoRe. Trees are Terrific activity, "Hidden Colors". if 2

3 '! i MS #1 f /tj, j

4 -- N TO KNOW A LEAF.. IPlE COMPOUND -, ::J:,"-- SHAPES THREE DIFFERENT EXAMPLES AND IDENTIFY THEIR SHAPES.. "",.,: ",1 :'i' LANCEOLATE PALMATELY PINNA TEL tal OVA TE ELLIPTIC LINEAR CORDATE LOBED LOBED. MS#2

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