Tree Impact Study
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As you’ve seen, people’s perception of trees have changed over the past 200 years. The first white settlers saw the forests as barriers to travel; then as sources of building materials and personal wealth. More recently, some have recognized the special role that forests play in Earth’s ecosystem. Trees are among the oldest living organisms on Earth. Because of their size, complexity, and long life, trees provide a habitat, like an island, that rises far above the ground. Your goal in this study is to document the impact of a large tree on the environment of your school or community. The project will be more fun and productive if you have one or two partners to work with. When you are finished, write and illustrate a report.
Materials for a team of 4 students
Tree Biodiversity
1. Examine the roots, trunk, branches, leaves and ground area below the tree’s crown (the tree’s foliage—leaves and branches) for evidence of animal and plant life. Describe and draw plants, fungi, and animals on index cards, noting the location of the organisms. Include sketches of evidence of life such as nests, holes, galls (swellings on the tree’s trunk due to insects or fungi), droppings, feathers, animal burrows, nibbled leaves, and nuts. 2. Pick an open area nearby that has approximately the same dimensions as your tree study area. Use the same procedures to examine and compare the number of different kinds of organisms found in the open. 3. Compare the soil and the dead leaf litter of the two areas. Are there layers of decomposing leaves and twigs? What small organisms do you find in each area? 4. Determine the amount of clay in each area’s soil by wetting a handful and rolling it to make a “log.” Soil with little clay will crumble. Soil with a lot of clay can be formed into a long “log.” 5. Compare the components of the soil under the tree with the soil in the open area. Put a rounded spoonful of each kind of soil into a separate clear plastic vial or seasoning bottle. Fill each container with water, cover with a lid, and shake. Set aside the containers for five minutes until the water clears. By observing the layers that form you can compare the amounts and properties of the various materials making up each soil sample.
1. Using graph paper, sketch a map showing where the tree is located in relation to landmarks such as streets and buildings.
Tree Social Studies Research the history of your tree. There are several strategies you might use. For example, you might talk with elderly people in the neighborhood to learn about the history of the site. Contact your city’s parks and gardens department to learn of city records that document the tree’s planting and care. Locate old photographs of the area. Choosing one of the following:
1. Determine what species your tree is and when it was planted. Describe the tree’s environment during its first year of growth. Tree Creations Choose one of the following: 1. Write a poem or song and present it to your family or a group of students. 2. Photograph or videotape your tree in a way that captures the “spirit” of the tree and its importance to the community. 3. Create a sketch, painting, or sculpture of your tree. 4. Make leaf rubbings or a collage of tree parts. 5. Write a fiction or nonfiction story about your tree. |