Planting trees for the environment

Planting trees for the environment

Pencil and paperOnline interactive
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Working with Students
Further Resources
This task is about how tree planting can help the environment.

Question 1Change answer

The first photograph shows an area before a tree planting programme was started, and the second photograph shows the same area 5 years later.

area before tree planting area 5 years after tree planting
Before tree planting programme 5 years later
 
a)  Look carefully at the photographs. What is different after 5 years? 

Question 1Change answer

b)  Your local newspaper wants you to write an article about how tree planting helps the environment.
     Write a paragraph about this which you could hand in to your local newspaper.
Task administration: 
This task can be completed with pencil and paper or online.
Copyright: 
Photo source: Wellington Regional Council. (permission granted for Educational use)
Level:
3
Curriculum info: 
Science, Knowledge, Planet Earth
Keywords: 
Earth systems, environment, trees, tree planting
Description of task: 
Students are provided with two photographs of an area, one before a tree planting programme and one five years later. Students are asked to write an article on how tree-planting helps the environment.
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 when we look very carefully and notice lots of things it helps us describe how things are similar and different.
 
Capability: Engage with science
This resource provides opportunities to recognise and explain a science issue. 
Science capabilities: 
Engage with science, Gather and interpret data
Answers/responses: 

 

Y6 (11/2000)
a)
Identifies differences, such as:
  • New bushes have grown
  • More growth
  • More trees/plants
  • Trees in the background are green.
  
b)
Valid reasons for planting trees:
  • prevent erosion/stabilise soil
  • give us oxygen/help clean the air
  • provide a place for animals to live/nest etc.,
  • provide wood for humans/us
  • provide shelter from the Sun/provides shade
  • makes environment more attractive
  • other acceptable answers

If the focus of the assessment is on how well students present their argument, such things as sentence structure and constructing an argument could also be included as criteria.

3 valid reasons given – very difficult

2 valid reasons given – difficult

1 valid reasons given – easy

 

 
Teaching and learning: 
Some answers involve science understandings, e.g.,
  • prevent erosion/stabilise soil give us oxygen/help clean the air
  • provide a place for animals to live/nest 
  • provide shelter from the Sun/provides shade.
Other answers were based on experiences, aesthetics, e.g., makes environment more attractive.
Diagnostic and formative information: 

Common answers

The most common answers were:
Trees help us/animals to breath/provide oxygen – 30% of all correct answers
Trees make the environment look better – 17%
Provide a place for animals to live/nest etc., – 13%