Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tree Rings

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore tree rings. In this plant biology lesson, 4th graders construct a KWL chart on tree rings and examine real tree rings. Students identify the changes that happened during the tree's life and its actual age. Students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Aging of Trees

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Young scholars examine tree rings to determine its age.  In this tree ring lesson, students examine core tree samples, identify the tree rings, and then determine its age. Young scholars complete a worksheet, deciding which of the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tree-ring Dating

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students 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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Methuselah Tree

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students examine how scientists determine the age of living and non-living trees. They simulate the role of a tree-ring scientist, crossdating tree-ring samples and determining which sample is the oldest and the age of the samples.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Logs of Straw: Dendocronology

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students investigate the age of trees by analyzing tree rings.  In this dendocronology lesson, students examine sample images of tree rings and identify their age by the amount of rings.  Students complete a chart identifying...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Our Family Tree

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners investigate their family heritage and plot their timeline.  In this research lesson students study their family tree and forestry. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Old Is This Tree?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers 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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Relative Dating in Archaeology

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Students create a timeline that explains how ancient cultures used artifacts. In this Relative Dating in Archaeology lesson, students examine artifacts and draw conclusions about their origins. Then students analyze antiquated objects or...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Trees: Recorders of Climate Change

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers study cross sections of trees or tree "cookies" to discover how the rings on tree sections give clues to the climate during the time the ring was produced. They study simulated cross sections of trees to determine the...
Lesson Plan
University of Maryland

Maryland Sea Grant: Dendroclimatology

For Teachers 6th - 8th
This is a set of lessons where young scholars investigate tree rings and what scientists can learn from them. They measure tree rings and correlate the data to precipitation patterns in order to make predictions about the climate. For an...
Lesson Plan
PBS

Pbs Teachers: Methuselah Tree

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Examine how scientists determine the age of living and non-living trees and identify factors that impact sizes of tree rings. Analyze tree ring samples and determine the age of the oldest sample.