exploring
TREES & PONDS
FALL
Trees:
Observation Indoors
WINTER
Trees: Observations Indoors Rationale In addition to carrying out long-term outdoor observations of trees in the immediate area, it is
also possible to set up some situations indoors where small trees can be observed. The idea is to
collect samples of local trees that are very small, ranging from ones that are about a year old to
several years old, meaning tree seedlings that are from 6 inches high to several feet high. The
purpose is to have the youth pay attention to changes of these seedlings in the fall and then again
in the early spring. The guiding question is whether keeping trees indoors results in changes
different from those experienced by trees outdoors. Does the warmer indoor environment result
in leaves staying on longer in the fall? Is there a difference in the emergence of leaves in the
spring?
The gathering of these seedlings can be done by you or you can have the youth participate in this
undertaking.
Courtesy Bernie Zubrowski
Courtesy Bernie Zubrowski
Tree seedlings, one without leaves and one with.
Materials For each youth
•
1 journal
•
tree seedlings*
For the whole group
•
containers** to hold very small trees
•
potting soil
•
digital cameras
•
shovels or troughs
*Try to obtain samples of several kinds of trees of different sizes. Since there is the real possibility that some may
not survive the transplantation, collect multiple examples of the same kind of tree. If possible collect examples of
both deciduous and conifers.
**For example, plant pots used for household plants or recycled containers such as 2-liter soda bottles with their
tops cut off.
Exploring Trees and Ponds
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Preparation Find a place where there are new tree seedlings that you can dig up. You will have to find a place
where you will not be disturbing the natural environment or where you have permission. Good
places include vacant lots, your center’s property, and strips along some roads.
Collect a few seedlings in early fall before trees are changing colors and losing their leaves. The
sooner you can collect these plants the better it will be for seeing possible differences in the
changes and fall-off of the leaves. When you dig them up, try to keep some soil around the roots.
Then, as soon as you can, place the seedlings into pots with potting soil, and water them.
NOTE: It is suggested that you use potting soil rather than soil from the outside where you collect the plant.
Outdoor soil probably has seeds in it some of which will germinate in the fall and spring. These emergence of
plants can confuse youth about what may be happening with the trees. You can also choose to take the youth out
to gather the seedlings themselves.
Find an area to keep the seedlings in your center that gets some sunlight during the day and will
be relatively undisturbed by other people at the center. Alternatively, you can set up an
arrangement with a grow light.
Introducing the Activity If you have gathered the seedlings, show the youth the samples you’ve collected. Tell them that
these will be kept indoors throughout the whole investigation. The purpose is to closely observe
the seedlings as well as their seasonal changes.
Since these will be indoors, have youth speculate whether the seedlings will show changes that
differ in any way from the same kind of trees outdoors. For instance, will the leaves on these
small indoor trees show changes in color and drop their leaves at the same time as those
outdoors? If not, what conditions might make a difference? Also, since it will likely be warmer
indoors, will temperature make a difference as to when leaves fall from these trees?
Have youth think about and discuss how these trees will behave in the spring as well. Will the
indoor trees put out buds and leaves at the same time as those outdoors? Having the trees close
by will allow youth to closely observe and record changes to the buds.
During the Activity To start out, have youth make drawings and take close-up photos of the tree seedlings soon after
you have dug them up and planted them in pots. This way they will be able to compare how they
looked at the beginning of the investigation to what they look like later on. Make sure they print
out these pictures and keep them in their journals, noting the date they were taken. To make sure
all the tree samples have been observed, assign individuals or small groups to specific seedlings.
Circulate among the youth and observe the kinds of drawings they are making. Encourage them
to make a close-up drawing of one of the branches, giving special attention to where the leaves
emerge from the stem or if there are some new buds.
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Long-­Term Observations After the youth have made their initial observations, you need to set up a system for watering
these plants on a regular basis (they need to be kept moist) and plan to have youth make
occasional observations. During this fall session, have youth make quick observations for part of
each session.
To keep track of the watering and the ongoing observations, you can make a large chart and post
it on a wall in the room where you meet. This will allow youth to make quick comparisons to
previous observations as well as to inform others not involved in the project of what is happening
with the trees. One possible chart set-up for recording short observations is shown below. You
may also want to create a separate chart for attaching photos of the trees.
Record of Tree Changes
Type of tree maple 9/28 Tree is 12 inches tall with small leaves 10/4 Top leaves starting to change color. Date 10/12 All leaves are changing color. 10/14 Leaves starting to fall off the tree. Eventually in the fall, deciduous trees and plants lose their leaves and will remain in this state
until the spring season in your area. Youth should pay close attention to whether there is any
difference between when the leaves fall off of the indoor trees and plants vs. the outdoor trees
and plants of the same kind. It has been noticed that oak seedlings kept indoors may hold onto
their leaves several weeks after the same kind of trees lose their leaves outdoors. (The leaves of
outdoor oak trees die and turn brown in the fall but they tend to remain on the branches well into
the winter.) Some maple plants may also hold onto their leaves longer than the same plants
outdoors.
Follow-­up in the Spring In the spring, oak seedlings may sprout leaves as early as February in some areas. Keeping this
in mind, youth should be on watch starting in February for any signs of the emergence of buds
on their indoor specimens. However, some plants indoors may never sprout leaves, even late into
the spring. The buds on some trees need to experience an extended period of cold similar to what
happens with some seeds. Being kept indoors during the winter has changed the chemicals mix
in the buds so that a signal to sprout doesn't occur.
For more activities like this, or for more information on how to carry out this activity, please go to http://treesandponds.edc.org. This material is based upon work supported, in part, by the National Science Foundation under Grant DRL-­‐0714703. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
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