Ontario Teachers' Manuals: Nature StudyOntario. Department of Education
Science
Ontario Teachers' Manuals: Nature Study
Ontario. Department of Education
Nature study; Science -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- Ontario
Coming close to the tree, the pupils may first examine the trunk. By
using a string or tape-line, find its diameter and how big it is around.
Tell them how big some evergreens are (the giant trees of the Pacific
Coast are sometimes over forty feet around). Have them notice where the
trunk is largest, and let them find out why a tree needs to be so strong
at the ground. Heavy wind puts a great strain on it just at this point.
Illustrate by taking a long slat or lath, drive it into the ground
firmly, and then, catching it by the top, push it over. It will break
off just at the ground. If a little pine tree could be taken up, the
pupils would be interested in seeing what long, strong, fibrous roots
the pine has.
Let them examine the bark of the trunk and describe its colour and
roughness. The fissures in the bark, which are caused by the enlarging
of the tree by the formation of new wood under the bark, are deeper at
the bottom of the tree than at the top, the tree being younger and the
bark thinner the nearer to the top we go.
Let the pupils look up into the tree from beneath and then go a little
distance away and look at it. They will notice how bare the branches are
on the inside, and the teacher will probably have to explain why this is
so. They will discover that the leaves are nearly all out toward the
ends of the branches as they get light there, while the centre of the
tree top is shaded, and the great question that every tree must try to
solve is how to get most light for its leaves. The pupils will now see
an additional reason why the lower limbs should be longer than the upper
ones. The greater length of the lower limbs brings the leaves out into
the sunlight.
The reason for calling this tree an "evergreen" may now be considered.
Why it retains its leaves all winter is a problem for more advanced
classes; but if the question is asked, the teacher may get over the
difficulty by explaining to the class that the leaves are so small, and
yet so hardy, that wind, frost, or snow does not injure them. Each pupil
may bring a small branch or twig back to the school-room for use in a
class-room lesson.
CLASS-ROOM LESSON
~Materials.~--Small branches--one for each pupil, cones, bark, pieces of
pine board.
~Introduction.~--Review the general features of the pine that were
observed in the field lesson.
~Observations.~--The branches are distributed. Pupils test the strength
and suppleness of the branches and find the gummy nature of the surface.
Of what value are these qualities to the tree during winter storms?
Examine the texture, stiffness, and fineness of the needles.
Note that the needles are in little bunches. How many are in each bunch?
Are there any buds on the branches?
If so, where are the buds?
How are the buds protected from rain?
The pupils examine the cones and describe their general shape.
The pupils are asked to break open the tough scales and find the seeds.
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