National Wildlife Federation
Tree Detectives!
Trees may look pretty similar until you take a closer look. Young scientists use their observation skills to describe the difference between the bark, leaves, and seeds of different trees. They then use a field guide to identify local...
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Leaf Creatures
The structure of a leaf reveals a lot about the plant it comes from. Young scholars collect and prepare leaves for comparison. After pressing the leaves, they identify the different parts and then use the leaves to complete an art project.
Curriculum Corner
Coniferous and Deciduous Trees
What are the differences between coniferous and deciduous trees? Supplement your tree lessons with a set of activities that has learners describing, naming, comparing, and reading about deciduous and coniferous trees. The activities are...
Science Education Resource Center
Compare and Contrast deciduous and evergreen tree leaves to aid in tree identification
Boost observational skills and get to know the difference between deciduous, coniferous, and evergreen trees with a lesson that challenges scholars to compare, contrast, identify, sort, and draw their findings.
Curated OER
What Tree is That?
Students examine leaves and the trees in their neighborhood that they came from. In this ecology lesson, students read the book, I Can Name 50 Trees Today, and discuss how a tree goes from a forest to a wood shop. Students find a tree...
Curated OER
Tree and Leaf Terminology
Third graders draw leaves. In this tree and leaf identification lesson, 3rd graders find 4 or 5 trees that are on their home property and collect samples from them. Students work in groups to identify the leaves and compare those answers...
Curated OER
Leaf ID and Leaf Bingo
Third graders explore the parts of a leaf and use a dichotomy key to identify leaves. In this biology lesson, learners study characteristics of various leaves and play a game of bingo to identify leaves by their traits. Students find and...
Missouri Botanical Garden
Missouri Botanical Garden: Temperate Deciduous Forest Leaf Identification
You identify deciduous trees by the shapes of their leaves. Link to complete tutorial on types of leaves.
Other
North Dakota State University: A Guide to Deciduous Tress
Tutorial on deciduous tree identification. Diagrams and descriptions of the four major deciduous tree groups.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Classify the Trees/leaves
Students go outside to look for trees and gather leaves. Working cooperatively they will sort and try to classify the trees by the characteristics of their leaves.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Touch and Feel: Plant Adaptations
This introductory instructional activity centers on getting hands-on before getting drug into the vocabulary and nomenclature. In cooperative learning groups students will describe leaves in simple terms. Then, students will use various...