A Tree For All Seasons

This activity is designed for students to observe a maple tree, collect data on the changes that they see, and predict what might happen in the future.

This activity is designed for a full kindergarten class. The students will need their nature bags which include a nature journal, crayons, toilet paper binoculars, hand lends, pencil, and small plastic bag for collecting samples. This activity takes place in the classroom as well as outside.

- Students will create a "nature bag" with tools for observing and recording to bring outside during our observations. Crayons, toilet paper binoculars, hand lens, tweezers, journal, pencil, and other objects as the year goes, are some of the materials to put in the bag.
- Discuss and practice what observing outdoors "looks like". Also talk about using all 5 senses to observe and record our findings.
- Begin in the fall and go out once a week to observe changes in our tree and take a picture every time.
- Display the photos in the room for the students to refer to.
- Continue taking pictures throughout the year and use the Environmental calendar to supplement the learning.

Before starting this activity you must practice writing in their nature journals. They also must review how to behave and observe outside in nature. I would be concerned that the students might not look at the details of the tree and have trouble drawing the different parts of the tree.
This activity is different from what I have done in the past by going beyond the four times a year that I looked at the tree before. It helps us look at the phenology throughout the year instead of just the "4 seasons".

To assess this activity I would look at their nature journals and observe them during the activity to see if they are understanding the concepts.

Kindergarten:
- The students will raise questions of the natural world.
- The students will observe weather changes throughout the seasons.
- The students will learn they have five senses and learn them to observe their environment