It's so easy to take a moment every now and then to focus on trees and all the living things around us that we can enjoy and be grateful for! National Arbor Day is April, 24, so you'll want to be sure and check out this website and think about some special activities you can do.
Plant a Tree
Contact your local cooperative extension service, Forestry Services, or National Arbor Day Foundation for free seedlings. Discuss what trees need to thrive. Name the parts of a tree. Brainstorm all the things that trees "give" us.
THE GIVING TREE by Shel Silverstein is a wonderful book to share, but my little kids always wanted to know, "Why did he have to get old?" (I wonder the same thing sometimes!!!)
Tree Identification
Take a nature walk and challenge the children to look for different types of trees. How does the bark on trees vary? How are the leaves different? Take pictures of the different types of trees and then try to identify them on the internet when you get home.
*Hint! Give children a clipboard and let them draw their favorite tree.
*Let them do rubbings of leaves from different trees and compare.
Vocabulary
What's a deciduous tree? What's an evergreen tree? Sing this song to the tune of "London Bridge."
If your leaves fall to the ground,
to the ground,
to the ground.
If your leaves fall to the ground
You're deciduous.
If your leaves stay green all year,
green all year,
green all year.
If your leaves stay green all year,
You're an evergreen.
