National Wildlife Federation
Branching Out – Exploring Dendrochronology
Tree rings from North America give a continuous history of El Nino intensity over the last 1,100 years. Scholars learn how scientists use tree rings to create timelines demonstrating variations in weather patterns. The cumulative...
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Signs of Change: Tree Rings
Students identify and experiment with dendrochronology (the study of tree rings to answer ecological questions about the recent past) and come up with conclusions as to what possible climatic conditions might affect tree growth in their...
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Time and Cycles - Dendrochronology
Students investigate the lives of trees by examining ring cycles. In this plant life lesson, students identify the field of study known as dendrochronology and discover its history. Students investigate a simulated tree ring and...
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Reading Trees: Understanding Dendrochronology
Pupils examine tree-ring dating and discuss the lack of water the settlers in Jamestown faced. They create paper tree rings, simulate rain patterns, and describe the history of construction paper tree sequences.
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"Logs of Straw: Dendrochronology"
Students act as dendrochonologists working to reconstruct a 50 year climatic history. They make a personal timeline.
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Tree-ring Dating
Middle schoolers complete activity sheets and participate in discussions while they study dendrochronology. They determine a tree's age and recognize how the climate varied over time.
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Trees: Are They Thriving or Surviving?
In this trees survival lesson plan, 8th graders discuss what trees need to grow, brainstorm things that could adversely affect tree growth, and compare characteristics of thriving trees vs. surviving trees. Students learn about the trees...
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How Old Is This Tree?
Young scholars work in pairs to determine the age of a tree using two different methods in this experiment. They collect data about how trees change over time.
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Aging of Trees
Students examine tree rings to determine its age. In this tree ring lesson plan, students examine core tree samples, identify the tree rings, and then determine its age. Students complete a worksheet, deciding which of the two core...
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Science: The Age of the Redwoods
Students discover how to estimate the age of redwood trees. They measure the trees' diameters by using string to calculate the circumferences. Students conclude by discussing the science of dendrochronolgy.
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Global Change- Time and Cycles
Students study trees and their growth. In this investigative lesson plan students work in groups to reconstruct a 50 year climatic history using a simulated tree ring.
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What Does Plant Biology Teach Is About Climate?
Students examine what factors influence climate. For this investigative lesson students compare the factors that influence climate and how they effect tree growth.