Your team task:

As a team, your job is to produce a set of tree fact cards on the trees of Kansas. You will be using 3 x 5 cards for this task. Visitors to Holton should be able to use your cards to identify trees, their leaves, fruit, and/or nuts.

During this project, your will be gathering information on the structure and use of trees on 5 x 8 cards.

 

Part 1: The 5 x 8 index must include:

1. Types of tree (deciduous, conifer, angiosperm, gymnosperm), shape of leaves, arrangement of leaves on the stems, and the margins of a leaf are all to be identified in this project.

2. A drawing of the leaf part is to be made on your 5 x 8 card.

3. If your tree has special characteristics, then they should be listed. This might include the bark, seeds, and leaf veining.

 

How the team is to conduct their task in part 1:

1. Each team needs a leaf shape specialist who will draw all the common shapes of leaves on their card and identify them. You will need 6 shapes on your 5 x 8 card.

2. Each team needs a leaf margin or edges specialist. You will be looking for the shape of the teeth on the outside edge of the leaf and identify them. You will need 4 leaf margins on your card. This person will also identify the type of veining of the leaf.

3. Each team needs a leaf arrangement specialist who looks for the arrangement of leaves on a stem/stalk and identify them. You will need three on your 5 x 8 card.

4. Each team will need a food chain specialist. This person will be responsible for writing or drawing a food web found in a forested area.

**************** When this task has been completed, we will take a field trip to the city park to identify the things that you have looked up.

Web sites and other helpful materials

Click on the blue underlined words to go to the web page listed to help you with describing tree shape, leaf margin, veining, arrangement, and type.

What tree is it? You can also use a dichotomous key to identify trees.

Tree identification along with scientific name.

Identification of common trees of Iowa. This also has the definitions and drawings of the shapes of leaves. You can also find how a tree grows and some history on trees especially in Iowa.

Glossary of terms from Arbor Day along with an animation that is fun.

Leaf blades, arrangement, groupings, and margins

Fall facts about color

Tree types, leaf patterns, bark, fruit, twig, and leaf key. Also has the 5 kingdoms listed.

A leaf identification key this is an on-line dichotomous tree key used to identify trees.

Rocky mountain tree finder manual on my desk for class use.

 

TASK # 2:

1. Send the team's food chain specialist to teacher's desk for your groups assigned trees (3). You will use the information that you have on your cards as well as information on the internet to describe your trees.

2. Your team specialist will also pick up three, 3 x 5 cards from the teacher's desk.

3. Each of the three cards needs to include the name of your tree, along with the scientific name, shape, leaf margin, leaf veining, leaf arrangement. You also need to include the type of seed/fruit.

4. You need to record the web site from where you obtained the information at the bottom of the card.

Front of card - Name the tree	Back of card - Draw a picture of your tree's leaf
Shape of leaf	If you have a magazine where you can find a picture of your tree, you may use it.
Margins of leaf	You may also use colored pencils to color your leaf.
Veining in leaf
Arrangement
Type of tree including nut, fruit, etc
Source

Grading rubric

Card completed as assigned	1	2	3	4	5
Accuracy of facts	1	2	3	4	5
Drawings	1	2	3	4	5
Neatness	1	2	3	4	5
Spelling	1	2	3	4	5
Work cited	1	2	3	4	5
Worked as a team	1	2	3	4	5
Stayed on task	1	2	3	4	5
Finished project on time	1	2	3	4	5
Made good use of computer time	1	2	3	4	5