Chapter Graphic
: Growing in the Mighty Forest
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Time: 30 minutes Level: Year 4 and year 8
Approach: One to one
Focus: Understanding the life cycle functions and parts of a forest tree (roots, leaves, trunk and bark).
3MB
Resources: 3 pictures: young tree in the native bush, mature tree, transverse slice of tree trunk.

Questions / instructions:
In this activity we will be thinking about the New Zealand bush. Here is a picture showing a young tree growing in the forest.
Show picture 1.

I want you to think about how the forest helps and protects a young tree as it grows.

     
% responses
y4
y8
1
Point to the young tree in the picture.
1. How might this tree have got there?
Prompt: What might have made it grow there?
seed dispersal: a
a
2 or more good ideas
5
17
1 good idea
43
56
"someone planted it"
38
17
2. How does the forest help the young tree to grow?
appropriate conditions for germination
11
10
nutrients
9
20
moisture
41
33
protection/shelter
43
64
cyclical nature of growth/decay
7
12
2
3. Now let's talk about the different parts of trees.
Look carefully at this picture of a big tree to help you answer the questions.
Show student picture 2.

Point to the roots.
a
a
4. Here are the tree roots. How do the tree roots help the tree to live and grow?
moisture
69
54
nutrients
24
35
stability/anchorage
25
20
Point to the leaves.
a
a
5. Now look at the leaves of the tree. How do the leaves help the tree live and grow?
moisture
13
19
"breathe" for tree
5
16
convert sunlight into a chemical energy (photosynthesis)
5
9
3
Give the student picture 3.
Look carefully at this picture of the tree trunk.
Point to the bark layer.
a
a
6. Try to explain to me the main jobs of the bark layer. protection
62
85
carries moisture and nutrients up/down tree
3
3
Point to the rings in the trunk of the tree.
a
a
7. Try to explain to me what these rings might mean. explains one ring per year and why rings occur (seasonal change)
4
2
only mentions one ring per year
74
70
Commentary:
There were quite small differences in responses from year 4 and year 8 students.
 
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