Trees, Trees, and Leaves

Trees are everywhere! Yet what do these majestic organisms do for their ecosystem, and why do some have leaves and some have needles? During a five-day activity, young scientists investigate trees by analyzing the water cycle,...

Students identify tree species by their leaf characteristics. In this dendrology activity, students learn leaf vocabulary and collect leaves. They identify the leaves using the leaf characteristics and the vocabulary that they learned.

Looking for a tree-rific addition to your water cycle unit? Teams of young foresters examine the role of transpiration in the water cycle through a week's worth of activities. Pupils analyze how trees take in and transport water during...

Class members become tree huggers with this terrific study of biodiversity among trees! They do so by examining different characteristics of trees: shape, leaves, bark, fruit or seeds, etc. After examining five concepts, they use their...

Discover the scientific explanation of fall leaves! The lesson narrator describes the role of chlorophyll, glucose, and weather in the process of the color-changing process. He adds an overview of carotenoids and flavonoids to explain...

Discover the chemistry behind the color change in leaves. The lesson narrator describes how trees must recycle nutrients in the leaves before they fall off for the winter. The video breaks down the process and highlights the chemistry of...

Many scholars study phylogenetic trees without understanding how they are made. Through an online game, young scientists use the given data to create phylogenetic trees of increasing complexity. They rely on the trees they create to...

Students study the use of trees in art.  For this investigative lesson students create art using leaf rubbings and develop a classification method for trees. 

Students study tree identification. In this tree identification lesson, students design and assemble a tree tour booklet describing 5 trees found in their community. The booklet should feature common and Latin names of the species, a...

Hidden hundreds of feet above the ground in the redwoods of Northern California is a whole world that was just waiting to be discovered. This video tells the story of Stephen Sillett who, inspired by his grandmother, set out to explore...