Use The Screen To Get Into The Green . . . Week Eight
Welcome to week 8 of “A Little Screen Time to Find More Green Time.” This week’s focus is all about trees!
Share and Be Entered in the Spring Outside Raffle!
Inspired by our prompts this week? Let’s keep the exchanges flowing - send us what you see!
Ways to share your inspiration with us: Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and share your photos on the weekly posts for each of the themed activities, being sure to use the hashtags for each activity. You can also simply send us an email at info@nature-museum.org.
Every time you share, you’ll be entered into our Spring Outside raffle for a $150 gift card to help get out outfitted for the season ahead. We’ll hold the raffle in early summer (we hope) and look forward to a jar full of entries to pull from!
Three Trees
Observe three trees. Notice how they’re alike, and how they’re different. Buds are beginning to turn into tiny, delicate leaves. Sketch a leaf from each one of the trees you have chosen. Pay careful attention to the shape of the leaf, the leaf edges, which are called “margins.” Are the leaves from the same kind of tree, or from different trees? How do you know?
Why are trees important to wildlife? Why are trees important to us?
Write a poem about a tree you know well, or have just discovered. Here are five different forms of poetry to get you started. (From Poet-tree, Project Learning Tree)
Cinquain-Cinquain poems consist of five lines, and each line has a specific purpose and fixed number of syllables. 1) Title-2 syllables; 2) Description-2 syllables; 3) Action-4 syllables; 4) Feeling-8 syllables; and 5) Another word for the title-2 syllables
Acrostic-In Acrostic poetry, the first letter in each line spells out the name of the subject.
Diamante- Diamante poems are diamond shaped and consist of seven lines that have a diamond pattern.
Shape Poetry- Shape poems form a picture of what is happening in the poem.
Windspark - A poem that has five lines with the following pattern: (1) “I dreamed,” (2) “I was”...” (something or someone), (3) where, (4) an action, and (5) how.
Which tree has bark like this? See our Facebook page on Tuesday for more photos, clues, and the answer!
Hints: This tree species has bark that is often a paler gray to brown. Its bark has furrows and ridges that often show a consistent pattern. Some say the bark furrows and ridges take the shape of many small canoes or a map of many mellow braided river valleys. These trees typically require moist and fertile soil.
Tree Inspired Crafts for all Ages
Do you ever notice sheets for birch bark on the forest floor on your woods walks? You can use it to make something beautiful or whimsical for your home.
Easy Birch Bark Crafts
https://pickledbarrel.com/2017/02/07/12-super-easy-birch-bark-crafts/
Got glue? Just add nature materials and children for a fun filled afternoon in the sun.
Nature Tree Craft for Kids:
http://rainorshinemamma.com/fun-nature-tree-craft-for-kids/
All you need is white fabric and a hammer to create beautiful tree-inspired textile designs.
Printing with Leaves:
Be a “Tree Detective!” How many of these trees can you find on your next outdoor excursion?
Use this simple identification guide to help you identify the trees in the Vermont woods.
Dragon Blood trees in Yemen
Amazing Trees
Do you have a tree that is an important part of your life? Or one you find particularly beautiful? Or maybe one that’s kind of kooky?
Click on the link for inspiration and then head outside with your camera in search of your own amazing tree!
The World’s Most Amazing Trees
https://www.rd.com/advice/travel/beautiful-trees-photos/
Learn more about tree damage from common weather events and best practices to manage damaged trees on your property:
https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/fnr/fnr-faq-12-w.pdf
Discover how the Japanese practice of forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku, can improve your health.
Forest Bathing:
Old Growth Forests
If you want to know how to identify an old-growth forest or understand their relevance to climate change mitigation, read on!
https://northernwoodlands.org/articles/article/eastern-old-growth-forests-in-an-era-of-change
Based on your reading, can you identify an old-growth forest near you?
Are you concerned that the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) might be affecting your ash trees? Read the following article to learn more about the EAB, how to identify one, and what to do if you spot one.