Describing trees

Describing trees

Pencil and paperOnline interactive
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Working with Students
Further Resources
This task is about describing how a tree changes over different seasons.

Question 1Change answer

Describe what a deciduous tree looks like during the different seasons of the year.
(A deciduous tree is one that loses its leaves when the weather gets cold.)
Type of tree: 
Where my tree was found: 
Description of tree:
Summer
Autumn
Winter
Spring
Task administration: 
  • This task should be carried out over a year, with students carrying out an observation for each season.
  • Students can make notes and take photos during the year and enter them online at the end of the task. 
  • Each student should describe the same tree each time.
  • Deciduous trees allow for students to identify more obvious changes. However, you may want to have some students looking at evergreens so the class can compare the two types of tree. It also depends on what trees are easily available for observation.
  • The four different observations provide comparative data over the year. Students can revisit their previous descriptions and identify where improvements could be made before they start their new observation.
Level:
2
Curriculum info: 
Science, Investigating in science, Living World
Keywords: 
observation, deciduous trees, seasons
Description of task: 
Students complete a plant record for a tree by making observations.
Curriculum Links: 
Science capabilities
The capabilities focus is brought about by the conversations you have and the questions you ask.
 
Capability: Gather and interpret data
This resource provides opportunities to discuss the importance of clearly describing what we see.
Science capabilities: 
Gather and interpret data
Making Better Sense: 
Trees
Answers/responses: 

Each season to have accurate details of the changes in the tree, this could include; 

  • colour(s) of leaves
  • size of leaves
  • presence/absence of leaves
  • presence/absence of buds
  • new growth on tree
  • presence of flowers
  • presence of fruit

Tree type and location filled in.

 

Next steps: 
  • Students can compare their observations, and identfy the changes from the previous observation. This also gives them a checkpoint for considering whether they recorded sufficient observations to be able to to do this (critiquing their data).
  • If students within the class have made observations of different trees, these can be compared. The class can discuss what is the same and what is different about all the trees (or work in pairs or small groups).
  • If students within the class have made observations of the same tree, each student's observations can contribute to a class description. This will help students identify where their observations are lacking.