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Winning Lesson Plan

Learning About Trees

Subject: Language Arts
Grade: K-2

Brief Description

Students learn about trees and write descriptions of the trees they have studied.

Objectives

Students learn about factors that influence tree growth. Students develop creative-writing skills through observation and descriptive writing.

Keywords

trees, leaves, descriptive writing, nature walk

Materials Needed

  • teacher-selected pictures of trees in different stages and in different seasons
  • real leaves
  • crayons
  • pencils
  • paper
  • notebooks
  • teacher-made flash cards with words for the parts of a tree
  • teacher-made flash-card pocket chart

Lesson Plan

Suggestion: Complete this activity in three lessons.

Lesson 1

  • Before the lesson: Make flash cards of words that describe trees and flash-card pockets.
  • Display pictures of trees. Discuss the different pictures, using as many attributes as possible.
  • Discuss the words on the flash cards and display on the pocket chart. Some suggested vocabulary words: leaf, branch, bark, trunk, roots.
  • Review the various parts of a tree. Place the vocabulary flash cards close to the pictures of tree on display. If possible, place each the card on or next to the part of the tree the word describes.
  • Explain factors that influence tree growth.
  • Tell students that they will go on a nature walk to study trees and leaves.

Lesson 2

  • Before the nature walk: Tell the children that they will take notebooks and pencils with them on the walk to take notes, draw pictures of trees and leaves, or to note their observations. Remind children of the purpose of the trip.
  • Take the children on a nature walk, focusing on trees and leaves. Have students collect different kinds of leaves, take notes or draw diagrams, and make general observations about trees.
  • After the trip: Return to class and discuss findings.

Lesson 3

  • Read different children's books about trees aloud to the class, such as The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein.
  • Tell students that they will work in pairs to develop descriptions of their trees or leaves. Have students focus on three writing skills in their descriptions, such as capitalization, punctuation, and use of rich adjectives and comparisons.
  • Each child writes his or her own description and shares the work with his or her partner for corrections.
  • Check students' completed descriptions for the three writing skills. Work with students who encounter difficulties. Review the vocabulary words noted in Lesson 1.
  • When everyone has finished, let the children illustrate their trees or leaves.
  • As a classroom project, collect all leaves and writings and make a class book to place in the classroom or school library!

Assessment

Check students' written work for use and understanding of the three writing skills that were the focus of the writing activity. Evaluate students' comprehension of the vocabulary words reviewed at the beginning of the lesson.

Lesson Plan Source

Submitted By

Ana Villaviencio


As our highlighted lesson, the submitter was awarded a $50 honorarium. See our guidelines to submit yours!

04/25/2001
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