Grade K — Science: Identify and Describe Basic Parts of a Tree and How People and Animals Use Trees

Overview

Using painting or drawing tools, or a word-processor, students match words identifying basic tree parts with corresponding parts on a clipart image of a tree. Students match animals or people to parts of a tree that they use. Using painting or drawing tools, students illustrate their own trees. Using presentation software, students insert a clip art, sketched-and-scanned, or digital picture of a tree and record a sound clip identifying the basic parts of a tree and how people or animals use them.

Activate

On a school community walk, students observe different types of trees feeling the texture of basic parts of the tree. Students point to parts of a tree and name them. They discuss how humans and animals may use the tree.

On a community walk, students take pictures of trees and their different parts. One student can stand near a tree and point to a part or hold a leaf for the picture. [Gather and Make Sense]

Using painting or drawing tools, students create a picture of a tree they have observed on a walk. [Produce to Show Understanding] Encourage students to include many details as well as animals or people using the tree in some way.

Teacher Tip:
A parent, volunteer, or tech buddy can assist students with painting or drawing tools.

Acquire

Using painting or drawing tools, students open the Tree Part Matching file  and use the line tool to match the words to the basic parts of the tree [Gather and Make Sense, Produce to Show Understanding]

Teacher Tip:
Students may need prior practice with the line tool.

Download the Tree Part Matching on the class computer(s) or in a class folder. Open a Word Processor and insert a gif image. Students can use the line tool of the drawing palette. Double-clicking on the line tool keeps it active for the duration of the matching activity.

Suggestions for Assessment:
Work Sample: Print copies of the Tree Part Matching file. Students cut and paste words to the basic parts of the tree and identify how a human or animal may use each part.

Apply

Students record sound clips naming and describing the basic parts of the tree and how people or animals may use each part. [Produce to Show Understanding] Using a word-processor, students insert sound clips on the corresponding part of an image of a tree. Students take turns going to a computer to read and listen to the sound clips [Communicate].

Teacher Tip:
A volunteer or tech buddy may help students to record and insert sound clips. This can also be done using multimedia presentation software, and inserting the digital photos taken during the outing.

Suggestions for Assessment:
Interview: In conversation with students, verify that they can identify and describe the basic parts of a tree and identify how a human or animal may use each part. Assess comprehension and vocabulary-use in context.