Project Learning Tree • PreK–8 Activity Guide© American Forest Foundation10

TitleThe “attention grabber” that relates to the activity’s content.

OverviewA brief description of the activity.

ObjectivesStates the content objectives targeted in the activity.

Assessment OpportunitiesGuides the educator toward assessing students’understanding of the concepts covered in the activity andprovides opportunities for students to apply the knowledgethey have gained.

SidebarFound on the first page of each activity, the sidebar containsthe following important information for incorporating anactivity into a program or curriculum.

LevelsIndicates recommended grade levels for various parts of the activity. Activities can usually be geared up or down with slight modifications.SubjectsIndicates the subjects that the activity incorporates, such asmathematics, science, social studies, or language arts.ConceptsLists the concepts (from the Conceptual Framework inAppendix 2) that the activity addresses. SkillsLists the thinking processes and skills (from the Skills Index) that the activity develops. Differentiated InstructionLists methods for differentiating instruction suggested in the activity.Technology ConnectionsLists the technology tools that can be used with the activity. MaterialsLists the materials needed to do the activity.Time ConsiderationsRecommends time allotments for each part of the core activity, including preparation. These are based on recommendations made by the teachers who pilot-testedthe activity. Times are based on 50-minute class periods. Related ActivitiesLists other PLT activities that address closely related topics.

Levels Grades PreK-6

Subjects Science, Visual Arts, LanguageArts

Concept■ Populations of organisms

exhibit variations in size andstructure as a result of theiradaptation to their habitats.(4.1)

SkillsObserving, Comparing andContrasting, IdentifyingAttributes and Components,Interpreting

Curricular/PersonalConnections, Higher OrderThinking, Oral/Reading/Writing Skills, NonlinguisticRepresentations

Graphic Organizer Software

MaterialsDrawing paper, crayons ormarkers

Time ConsiderationsPreparation: 30 minutesActivity: 50 minutes

Related ActivitiesAdopt a Tree, Tree Factory,Name That Tree, Looking atLeaves, Bursting Buds, Trees asHabitats, Tree Lifecycle.

Technology Connections

There’s a lot of variety in the more than50,000 kinds of trees in the world. Forexample, some trees tower more than 360feet (110 m) high, like coastal redwoods,and some reach only 15 feet (5 m), likebluejack oaks. Tree leaves may be needle-shaped, broad and flat, or made of littlescales. Tree bark may be smooth, rough,shaggy, or deeply furrowed. Branches mayspread out to form a huge, broad crown ormay rise narrowly like a column.

Locate several different kinds of treesthat your students can observe closely.

Check for any hazards at thesite(s), such as deep holes, sharp objects, orpoisonous or irritating plants.

If there are no trees in your area, try tofind a live potted tree to bring to the class-room, or one or more cut trees (likeChristmas trees). If this is not possible, col-lect pictures of trees that students can useto make their observations in Step 3. (Trythe Internet, books, calendars, postcards,and magazines for good color pictures oftrees. Tree posters are also usually avail-able from district offices of the U.S. ForestService, see Appendix 9.)

1. Give students drawing paper and cray-ons or markers. Have students close theireyes and picture a tree. Encourage themto think about the overall shape of thetree, how the branches are connected, andthe texture of the trunk and leaves. Askthem to draw a picture of the tree frommemory. Tell them to save their picturesfor later.

2. Explain to the students that they aregoing to take a closer look at trees andlater they will use their observations todraw a new picture of a tree. Ask them tolist different features they might look forwhen they make their observations. Youmay use the questions below to guidethem. Depending on the level of yourgroup, you may want to use these ques-tions to create a worksheet for your stu-dents to use. Students can take notes ormake sketches as they make their observa-tions.■ What shape is the trunk? Is it tall and

straight, or bent and gnarled? Is thereonly one trunk or do several trunkscome out of the ground near the samespot?

■ What color is the tree’s bark? How doesit feel? How does it look?

■ What shape are the tree’s branches? Arethere any thorns or other things on thebranches or twigs?

■ What shapes are the tree’s leaves? Whatcolor are they? Where are the leaves on

DOING THE ACTIVITY

GETTING READY

BACKGROUND

Activity

61The Closer You LookAll students, no matter how young, have an idea of what a tree looks like. But many areunfamiliar with the actual structure of a tree. In this activity, your students will gooutdoors or view pictures to take a closer look at trees and their parts.

■ Students will understand how observationincreases knowledge of tree structureand form.

ASSESSMENT OPPORTUNITYOBJECTIVE

■ Have students use a graphic organizer to describe similarities and differences

between their pictures drawn from memoryand from observation. (See page the nextpage for a sample graphic organizer.) Havethem write their answers to the question, “Didyour second picture show a greater under-standing of the tree’s structure and form?”and support their answer with observationsfrom the graphic organizer.

T

Differentiated Instruction

Activity Components Doing the ActivityProvides step-by-stepprocedures forleading the activity.

BackgroundContains relevant information that provides theteacher with an understanding and perspective forengaging the class in the activity. Bold italicizedwords appear in the Glossary, Appendix 1.

Getting ReadyDescribes how to prepare forteaching the activity.

Introduction© American Forest Foundation 11

Reading ConnectionsLists books that are relevant to the activity.Additional books are listed at www.plt.org.

the tree’s branches? (Only at the tips?All along the branches?) Do leaves growin groups or singly? How do they feel?■ Are there any seeds, flowers, fruits,

nuts, or cones on the tree?■ What shape is the tree’s crown as a

whole? (Round, pointy, shapeless,oval?)

■ What other plants or animals live onor in the tree?

3. Take the students outside and havethem examine the trees you located in“Getting Ready,” or have them examinethe tree pictures you collected.(Encourage students to pick a tree thatis similar to the one they drew in Step 1.)

Lead students to one or moretrees and examine the trees

together. Have the children use theirbodies to bend and twist like thebranches, flutter around like theleaves, stand straight and tall like thetrunk, or mimic other characteristicsof the trees you examine.

4. When the students have finishedtheir observations, have them draw asecond tree picture. Encourage them toinclude as much detail as they can.

5. Hang each student’s pair ofdrawings (from steps 1 and 4)

around the room. Let students walkaround as they compare and con-trast each pair of drawings. Whatnew details, for example, appearedin the second drawing? Was anyone’s

second picture radically differentfrom the first? Have students com-pare and contrast drawings done bydifferent students. What characteris-tics were similar?

Enrichment■ Have students make bark or leaf rub-

bings of the trees they examined.Students can create a new picture oftheir tree (or add to the one made inStep 4) using rubbings of the tree’sparts; attaching actual flowers, nuts,or seeds from their trees; or usingparts of the tree such as bark, fruit, orflowers to color their picture by rub-bing the parts against the paper sothat their natural color comes off.

Whenever possible, havestudents use leaves, seeds, or othertree parts that they find on theground to make their rubbings,rather than picking those items offthe tree.

■ Have students make a model of a treeusing construction paper, toilet paperrolls, straws, aluminum foil, tissuepaper, and the like. Students shouldinclude and label all the tree partsthey’ve learned about. Encouragethem to be as creative as possiblewhile still being accurate.

■ Follow up this activity with a creativewriting exercise in which studentsdescribe the tree they chose to drawand why they chose it.

,Structure Tree from Memory Tree from Observation

Trunk shapeBark color, texture, lookBranches–shape,pattern, textureLeaves–shape,texture, colorLeaf attachment Seeds, fruits, flowers,nuts, or conesShape of treesPlants or animals on tree

Sample Graphic Organizer

Bishop, Nic. Forest Explorer: A Life-Sized FieldGuide. Scholastic, Inc. 2004. Depicts in detailseveral different deciduous forest habitats,with field notes about the insects andanimals shown, as well as tips on how toexplore a real forest. Grades 1-4. ISBN:0439174805.

Brenner, Barbara. One Small Place in a Tree.HarperCollins Publishers. 2004. A child

visitor observes as one tiny scratch in a treedevelops into a home for a variety ofwoodland animals over many years, evenafter the tree has fallen. Grades K-3. ISBN:068817180X.

Dorros, Arthur. A Tree is Growing. Scholastic.1997. Tells about the structure of trees andhow they grow, as well as their uses. GradesK-3. ISBN: 0590453009.

Hiscock, Bruce. The Big Tree. Atheneum Books –MacMillan. 1991. Follows the developmentof a large old maple tree from its growth as

a seed during the American Revolution to itsmaturity in the late twentieth century.Grades 4+. ISBN: 1563978105.

Markle, Sandra. Outside and Inside Trees. Simonand Schuster. 1993. Discusses various partsof trees and their functions, including thebark, sapwood tubes, roots, and leaves.Grades K-3. ISBN: 0027623130.

Available @ http://shop.plt.org

READING CONNECTIONS

Student PagesMany of the activities includecopyright-free student pages.

EnrichmentMany of the activities containrecommendations for exercisesthat enrich or extend the learningexperience in the activity.

VariationsMany of the activities provide alternative proceduresfor doing the activity. These have similar objectives tothe core activity, but appeal to different age levels,learning styles, audiences, situations, or concerns.

LevelsGrades 5-8

Subjects Science, Social Studies, VisualArts

Concepts■ Our increasing knowledge of

the Earth’s ecosystems influ-ences strategies used for for-est management and envi-ronmental stewardship. (5.5)

■ Consumers “drive” the mar-ketplace with their demandfor goods and services. Suchdemand shifts with timeand may have positive ornegative effects on the avail-ability of natural resourcesand environmental quality.(5.9)

■ Industries usually respondto consumer demand forrecyclable, recycled, or other-wise environmentally friend-ly products. (5.10)

Skills Observing, Classifying andCategorizing, Evaluating,Formulating Questions,Analyzing

MaterialsSamples of different kinds ofpackaging (either unopenedcontainers or those that havebeen emptied and washed)that demonstrate differentpackaging purposes, copies of“Consumer Choices” studentpage, consumer products stu-dents bring from home (seeGetting Ready)

Time Considerations Preparation: 20 minutesActivity: 45 minutes

Related ActivitiesResource-Go-Round; We AllNeed Trees; Pollution Search;Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

At the most basic level, packaging isneeded to hold items together in the sizeor amount desired for purchase. The con-cept behind product packaging hasevolved over time, changing to fit theneeds or demands of consumers as muchas to fit the economic demands on man-ufacturers. The earliest forms of packag-ing were animal skins, earthenware ves-sels, and woven baskets. Glass bottles,fired clay amphorae, and finished leatherwere developed between 2,500 and 3,500years ago. Packaging as we know it in thelate 20th century is relatively new, hav-ing had its start with the advent of eco-nomically efficient packaging machineryin the latter part of the 19th century.

In addition to its basic role of holdinggoods together, packaging also protects,preserves, and eases the distribution ofmany of the products we buy. The verynature of the products we consume dic-tates the kind of materials used in thepackaging process. Canning certain fooditems and other perishables assuresmaximum shelf-life and freshness; papermilk cartons or plastic jugs allow for easypouring and storage; plastic boxes withshrink-wrap packaging for items likecompact discs allow for maximum dis-play in a minimum amount of space;large cardboard boxes of laundry deter-gent help consumers purchase in bulkitems that will be used often. In manyinstances (such as for food and healthcare products) packaging prevents con-tamination and provides tamper-proofprotection for the consumer. Packagingalso provides a convenient surface fordisplaying important consumer informa-tion as well as advertising space for themanufacturer.

Manufacturers and consumers havebecome more aware of the impact ofpackaging on the environment, as well asthe conservation of natural resources,energy, and waste management.

Some companies are changing the mate-rials used in their packaging; others have

BACKGROUND

Activity

83A Peek at Packaging

Nearly everything we buy comes in some sort of package. Packaging, made from avariety of renewable and nonrenewable resources, is necessary to protect an item, keep itfresh, make it tamper-proof, and make the item easy to transport and store. In thisactivity, students will examine the pros and cons of different packaging strategies.

■ Students will identify different purposes ofpackaging, the pros and cons of certain pack-aging, and which packaging is recyclable andbiodegradable.

■ Have students create an ideal package for oneof the products they evaluated. Have studentsdraw or create the packaging out of art materi-als (paper, cardboard, foam, etc.) or recycled

home and school items (newspaper, greetingcards, used wrapping paper, etc.). Then havethem make a presentation on why their pack-age suits their product. Presentations can bewritten or oral. Evaluate the proposed package.■ Does it address health concerns (for freshness

and tampering)?■ Can it be reused or recycled?■ Is it biodegradable?■ Does it have enough labeling to satisfy the

manufacturer and the consumer?■ Is it convenient for shipping and shelf display?■ Can the product, as packaged, be conveniently

used by the consumer?

ASSESSMENT OPPORTUNITY

OBJECTIVE

Project Learning Tree • PreK–8 Activity Guide© American Forest Foundation360

361A Peek at Packaging © American Forest Foundation

Sailer, John. A Vogt For The Environment. BookPublishing Co. 1995. Relates how Tanja Vogtconvinced McDonald’s, as well as businessesand schools in her area, to stop usingstyrofoam. Grades 6+. ISBN: 0913990345.

Sullivan, George E. How Do They Package It?Westminster John Knox Press. 1976. Tracesthe evolution of modern containers.Anecdotes about various packages such asthe tea bag, consumption statistics, andenvironmental concerns are also included.Grades 6+. ISBN: 0664326013.

Wheeler, Jill C. Food We Eat (We Can Save theEarth). ABDO. 1991. Describes how producingand packaging different foods affect ourenvironment and ourselves. Grades PreK-3.ISBN: 1562390333.

READING CONNECTIONS

reduced, or even eliminated packagingof some products; still others areincreasing the amount of recycledmaterial used to make their packaging.

In many instances, the need for pack-aging, and the kind of materials usedin packaging, are self-evident (such asbaby food in small, easy-to-use, prod-uct-preserving glass jars). Sometimes,however, it may be difficult to under-stand why a certain package has beenused (a tall box of cereal may be onlytwo-thirds full due to the settling thatoccurs during shipping). Studentsshould be prepared to ask informedquestions about packaging and makeresponsible purchasing decisionsbased on an analysis of the informa-tion. The following activity will helpthem compare packaging practicesand choose wisely the kind of productsand their packages that best suit theirneeds as consumers.

Bring in examples of different kinds ofpackaging used for different purposes,such as advertising, freshness, tamperprevention, and convenience (productsmay still be in their packages).

Make copies of the student page foreach team.

1. Ask students to bring two consumerproduct packages from home. Youmight suggest that they find one thatthey feel is properly packaged, and

one that they feel is insufficiently oroverly packaged. Products may beunopened in their original packagingmaterial, or in clean, empty containers.

Point out that studentsshould not bring in any dirty or unsafecontainers (such as opened cans withsharp edges) or hazardous products(such as household cleaners). Keep a boxby the door for collecting the productsand go through them for safety beforehanding them out for the activity.

2. Have students work in teams andselect three to five items to evaluate.

3. Give each team a copy of“Consumer Choices” student page foreach item they will evaluate.

4. Set out the examples of packagingthat you brought in. Ask students whythey think each product is packaged theway it is (cost, ease in shipment, publichealth, protection from damage). Askthem what the pros and cons are of eachpackage in terms of protection, bulki-ness, tamper resistance, recycled materi-als, and so forth.

5. Have teams work together to com-plete the questions on the studentpage. Point out how to tell whether aproduct is made from recycled materi-al. (Look for recycled sign.)

6. Have each team share its analysis ofone product with the rest of the group.You might suggest that team membersseparate their examples into two cate-gories, one for packaging they thinkcould be improved (by changing thedesign or material; by adding or elimi-nating material; etc.) and one for pack-aging that seems fine the way it is.

Enrichment■ Take a trip to a local supermarket for

a “Supermarket Safari” in which stu-dents try to find at least one itemthat fits into each category of pack-aging: (1) packaged well; (2) pack-aged poorly; (3) packaged primarilyto attract the consumer (packagingthat is pretty, colorful, fancy, etc.); (4)packaged in bulk; (5) packaged withmaterial that has been recycled; (6)packaged with material that is recy-clable; and (7) packaged in some-thing reusable by the consumer.

DOING THE ACTIVITY

GETTING READY

Student Page

Consumer ChoicesOBSERVE your product closely. DISCUSS the following questions withyour team. ANSWER the questions as best you can using yourteam’s knowledge and the information given on your product.

PRODUCT NAME:

TYPE OF PRODUCT:

LOCATION OF PRODUCER:

SHIPPING DISTANCE:

NET WEIGHT OF CONTENTS:

1. Describe all parts of the packaging.

2. What materials make up the packaging? (How much of it is paper? Plastic? Glass? Metal? Other?)

3. Is the product or its packaging made of recycled materials? How do you know?

4. After the product has been used, what is thrown away?

5. Can the packaging be recycled in your community? How do you know?

6. What purposes does each piece of the packaging serve (portion size, health, safety, freshness, nutrition information, anti-theft, advertising, or other purposes)? How do you know?

7. How would you improve the packaging of this product?

Activity 83 • A Peek at Packaging 362 Project Learning Tree • PreK–8 Activity Guide© American Forest Foundation