Adopt a Tree Winter

Materials:

Nature journal, drawing utensils of choice, and a tree you can easily remember and return to.

Activity:

Go to the tree you have chosen to watch throughout the year and open your nature journal to the “Adopt a tree” section. It can be a tree in your yard, at a park, or other favorite nature study location. Draw it in your nature journal. What does it look like? Can you see its bare branches? Are there leaves hanging on? Do you notice in any buds? Look closely at its bark and evidence of animals making homes or weather taking its toll on the structure of the tree.

Younger:

Have them tell you what they notice, draw a basic trunk, and had them add the branches they see above it.

Older:

Encourage them to do a basic outline of the tree then another section that shows a close-up of the bark, knots, holes, and other signs of ecology in detail. Encourage them to write down at least one question from what they observed today.

Take it Further:

Do a mini-lesson on branch structure and forces that shape the way a branch grows on a tree. Google terms like “Why are trees not symmetrical?” and you will find that there are many reasons tree branches take the path that they do. While branches split and get smaller as you go out at regular intervals light, gravity, other trees, and weather can all play a role in which direction the branches grow. Looking at your tree what factors do you think shaped the branches?

Create Your Own Nature Journal:

In the four pages, you have reserved for “Adopt a tree” entries. Write “Adopt a tree Autumn” at the top then draw your observations.