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National Arbor Day is Coming… Hug A Tree!

“The cultivation of flowers and trees is the cultivation of the good, the beautiful and the
ennobling in man, and for one, I wish to see this culture become universal.”
Those words, from J. Sterling Morton, the founder of Arbor Day, got me thinking about how caring for trees and respecting all living things greatly impact future generations.
National Arbor Day (held this year on April 27th) is an annual observance celebrating the role of trees in our lives and promoting tree planting and care. This holiday was first observed in 1872, in Nebraska, but tree planting festivals are as old as civilization. Trees have appeared throughout history as the symbol of life and hope.
As teachers, we can encourage students to appreciate trees, nature, and all living things for future generations to enjoy! Here are a few STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) ideas to help you spread agricultural information and enthusiasm for trees on Arbor Day with your students:
SCIENCE: Explore the different types of trees in your area and make a chart that identifies each tree’s structure, how it benefits society, and how it lives. Plant a new tree, and then learn how it develops and what nutrients it needs to promote healthy growth.
TECHNOLOGY: Investigate online the history of Arbor Day and the importance of trees throughout the world. Explore how counting the rings in a tree trunk can tell you its age. Explore how animals depend on trees (e.g., nests, hives, storing nuts, etc.). Create a class video, blog, or podcast on the importance of trees in our lives.
ENGINEERING: Ask your students: what should we build with wood? Are skyscrapers made out of timber a good use of this natural resource, or are there other aspects of civil and structural engineering or large-scale infrastructure that would be a better use of wood? Conduct a study on this, perhaps using a Design Challenge that tests construction strength and durability under specific constraints and criteria.
ARTS: Collect an assortment of leaves from different trees. Place leaves flat on a table and covers with a sheet of paper. Rub crayons on the paper over the leaves to make the leaf rubbing relief designs. A similar idea is to make bark rubbings from different trees by laying paper over bark and rubbing with crayons. Have students try to identify which rubbings came from which trees. Students could also create and share an original poem, song, or work of art about trees.
MATH: Use trigonometry or estimation techniques to measure a tree’s height and diameter. For young students, count the rings in a tree trunk to tell its age. Look for fractal patterns in the growth of leaves and branches. How does the Fibonacci sequence relate to plant growth?

Also, make sure you check out these RAFT ideas too!
3D Trees: A bit of cutting and stapling will produce beautiful little trees that stand up on their own.
Curriculum topics:
  • 3-dimensional art
  • Traditions
  • Ecosystems

Nesting Like a Bird Brain: Use RAFT materials to build “bird nests” for protection and comfort.
  • Curriculum topics:
    • Ecology
    • Adaptations
    • Natural Selection
Forest Ranger Measuring Tape: Use Pi to measure the diameter of a tree without cutting it down.
  • Curriculum topics:
    • Geometry
    • Pi
    • Diameter
    • Circumference
Leaf Mixture Chromatography : This activity reveals the pigments in leaves that enable plants to harness the Sun’s energy.
  • Curriculum topics:
    • Chromatography
    • Solutions
    • Mixtures
    • Photosynthesis
    • Pigments
    • Properties of Materials

Written by Jeanne Lazzarini, RAFT Math Coach/Curriculum Writer
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