Seems, there’s much more you may be taught from tree rings than simply the tree’s age. Which makes it an amazing nature examine alternative for teenagers! It may also be carried out throughout any season since all you actually need is a stump. And the useful dandy exercise worksheet that I made only for you!
Earlier than you dive into it together with your children, listed below are some fundamentals.
Dendrochronology
If you happen to wanna get fancy, that is the scientific identify for the examine of tree rings. At its most simple degree, this includes courting a tree by counting its development rings. However it’s additionally the examine of all different information that may be gained from observing the rings. For some additional studying, this text concerning the oldest tree on this planet (the placement of which is being saved secret) is fascinating!
Why is it essential and what can it inform us?
Simply from finding out tree rings, you may be taught climate tendencies of the previous, date archaeological websites, and discover clues to what occurred in that individual space (forest fires, and many others.). It’s additionally an effective way to indicate our children that there’s quite a bit we are able to be taught from nature and our environment if what to search for!
Find out how to depend the tree rings.
Discover on the tree stump that there are skinny traces in addition to wider areas in between. Each spring and summer time, bushes add a brand new layer of development. Timber develop a lot sooner within the spring, so the huge areas characterize spring development.
The summer time (and generally fall) rising season is far slower, so the skinny traces are a results of that development. The 2 of those collectively characterize one 12 months of development, so get an correct estimate, solely depend the skinny traces.
What to search for and what it means.
If you happen to discover some rings which are significantly wider than the remaining, this doubtless means it was a 12 months with loads of rain and optimum rising circumstances.
Or, if there are years the place the tree rings are notably skinny, this means a dry spell, competitors from surrounding bushes, bug infestation, or one thing else that inhibited development.
Darkish, black marks can imply your tree survived a forest hearth.
If you happen to discover the rings are wider solely on one aspect of the stump, one thing might have pushed towards the tree and induced it to construct additional resistance wooden on the alternative aspect. (Don’t fear…all of that is on the printable worksheet so that you don’t should attempt to bear in mind all the pieces!)
Time to make an journey out of it!
Go on a hike or stroll round your neighborhood to discover a tree stump. You could even have one in your personal yard! We headed out to our favourite nature protect.
As soon as you discover one, be detectives and attempt to be taught all the pieces you may from the tree rings! Listed below are some issues to go over:
- How outdated is that this tree?
- What 12 months was it “born” or did it begin to develop? (Inform them one thing important that occurred that 12 months, for those who can provide you with something).
- What number of years of drought occurred whereas this tree was alive?
- Does it seem like the tree skilled any type of trauma? (Forest hearth, bug infestation, and many others.)
- Have your children make up and inform a narrative concerning the tree’s life primarily based on what you realized!
Whereas mountain climbing, we seemed for a number of completely different stumps to match. Attempt to discover the oldest tree or the stump with probably the most uncommon form!
I all the time like to pair associated books with actions, so we learn The Berenstain Bears and Too A lot Birthday as a result of it has a few pages the place Papa Bear cuts down a tree and the cubs depend the rings! It was particularly useful with my three-and-a-half-year-old to have a e-book to help the idea and get him extra enthusiastic about it. As a result of all the pieces is best if the Berenstain Bears did it.
Congrats! Now you’re an authorized skilled on all issues dendrochronology! Okay, possibly not…however you’ve undoubtedly obtained sufficient information to your personal little nature examine with the kiddos. So what are you ready for? There are tons of of hundreds of tree stumps on the market simply dying for you and your children to research them! See what I did there? They’re actually useless…mm okay, I’m carried out now.
Have enjoyable, and ensure to seize this printable earlier than you go!
