Teach Primary Issue 18.7

• Why do some trees lose their leaves in autumn? • How are the leaves similar or different? • How would you group the leaves according to the features you can see? • Why might it be important to measure trees? find leaves that match the colours on the strips. In small groups, examine the leaves the children have collected, and discuss their visible features. The Woodland Trust has produced free online ‘Nature Detectives’ leaf ID charts, which can help children with this ( tinyurl.com/tp-LeafID ) . Tell the children they’ll be learning new terms to help them identify and describe leaves. These include: •Indented or lobed leaves, which are whole and not divided to the central vein (e.g. field maple, hawthorn, oak and sycamore). •Compound leaves, which are divided into leaflets separate from each other. These are either pinnate and grow in pairs either out and dying. A tree without leaves is dormant and needs less energy to remain alive. Leafless trees are also better at allowing strong winds to move through the branches, which reduces the chances of damage. Can children name the types of trees that do not lose their leaves? Support pupils to name and locate deciduous and evergreen trees on the site. 3 | GETTING UP CLOSE WITH LEAVES AND TREES Allow pupils to undertake some self-led learning, looking at whichever trees interest them. Next, present the children with some paint swatches of autumnal colours. (These are available free from DIY shops.) Challenge pupils to • Explain that many trees disperse their seeds during autumn, which means that they spread their seeds away from the parent plant. Go on an autumn scavenger hunt to find seeds in the woodland environment. Explore why some seeds are spiky, round, sticky, light, small or fluffy. Try to sort the seeds according to how they are dispersed (wind, water or by animals). Explain why some plants produce many seeds and why they need to travel away from the parent plant to increase chances of survival. • Use string, fallen sticks and twigs and leaves to make shelters for animals such as visiting hedgehogs. • Children can write their own questions to create a sorting diagram to classify leaves in different ways according to their features (lobes and leaflets). You might want to introduce simple leaves that have serrated edges, such as beech, but this will depend on the trees on your site. EXTENDING THE LESSON side of a central leaf stalk (e.g. rowan, ash and elder) or palmate and look similar to an open hand (e.g. horse chestnut). Bring some practical maths skills into play, and show the children how you can estimate the height of a tree by using a straight branch the same length as your arm from hand to shoulder. Stand in front of the tree and hold the stick vertically in one hand at its lowest part. Stretch your arm out straight in front of you. Facing the tree, move away from or towards it until the stick appears the same length as the tree. You are now at a tree height’s distance from the tree you are measuring. Place a marker where you are standing and use a trundle wheel or measuring tape to measure the distance from the tree trunk. This should give you the approximate height of the tree. This is a good activity to do in autumn or winter, when trees have lost their leaves, allowing you to see the uppermost branches. Explain to the children that one reason why a tree might need to be measured is to ascertain where it might land if it is felled. Another reason could be to compare the growth of similar trees. The results may indicate an area to have more favourable growing conditions, such as less exposure to the wind. Sabina Khanam is an experienced primary school teacher currently teaching in Year 2. She is also a Level 3 forest school leader who has worked with groups across the primary age range. “The activities can take place in awooded area, a local park or a school field” USEFUL QUESTIONS www.teachwire.net | 77