Learning about Trees – Lesson Plans

Trees are a great topic any time of year, but I like to talk about trees in the summer because if you have to be outside, at least you can be in the shade. But of course you can learn about trees indoors, too, as a lot of these activities will show.

The Crafty Classroom has ideas for a tree unit study that starts with a nature walk, collecting leaves, observing bark and just paying attention to all the details that make different trees unique. You can take rubbings, photos or draw or write down your observations in a nature book. If you have a nature corner or science center you can gather leaves, twigs, acorns, etc. and observe them at home, too.

You can also make a guide to the trees in your yard, playground, neighborhood or local park with this cute idea from Kid World Citizen. Kids can take a leaf and a rubbing of the bark to identify each tree. You could also take photos or draw a map of each tree’s location.

When the leaves start changing is the perfect time to do a lesson on why leaves change color. You can get all the details from STEAM Powered Family, which has a lot of details on different experiments they did and how they worked so you’ll know just what to do when you try it yourself.

Learn the difference between deciduous and coniferous tress with help from Capri Plus 3, and learn all about tree rings and the age of trees from KC Edventures.

Younger kids can observe changes in leaves (this uses fall leaves but you could do it any time) with this easy project from Preschool Toolkit.

Make your own trees to decorate the classroom with this easy paper bag craft from Crafts by Amanda. This would be a fun one to try at different times of year. How would you decorate a spring tree? How about a winter tree?

Or you can make your own trees with this printable tree outline from Crafts on Sea, or practice counting by decorating trees with fingerprint leaves with this activity from Fun Handprint Art Blog.

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Summer Activity Printables for Kids

The celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe is important throughout Mexico and other parts of the world. Her feast day is Dec. 12, and the celebrations honoring her appearance to Juan Diego in 1531 begin a few days before that.

Whether you celebrate yourself or just want to share about the celebration at home or in your classroom, Las Mañanitas: The Beautiful Celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a good place to start. The book, by Ernesto Joel Vega Rosales and Jeanette Gonzalez Seneviratne, with illustrations by Dana Sanmar, tells the story of a family’s celebration of the feast day in both English and Spanish.

They prepare with a novena, which is nine days of prayers and preparations. The children, Lucia and Pablo, are given special outfits made by their grandmother that look like what Juan Diego might have worn when he saw Our Lady. The book describes the prayers that are made each day, such as a prayer for respect for life, for families and for the indigenous people of the Americas, to name a few.

As told in the book, Juan Diego was a native Mexican born near modern day Mexico City. His given name was Cuaauhtlatoatzin, which means “He who speaks like an eagle.” When he converted to Christianity his name was changed to Juan Diego, and as he walked to church he passed a hill called Tepeyac. One day he heard the birds singing especially beautifully and a voice called him to go to the top of the hill.

There he saw Our Lady of Guadalupe, who asked him to tell the bishop she wanted a chapel built in her name at the foot of the hill. The bishop asked for a sign that Juan Diego really saw her, and later she had him collect flowers that she blessed and take them to the bishop. When Juan Diego dropped the flowers, an image of Our Lady could be seen on his cloak, which is still on display in her basilica to this day.

The feast day is celebrated as mañanitas, which includes singing, indigenous music and dancing, and children presenting flowers to Our Lady. Juan Diego is remembered today as being humble, brave and faithful, and was the first indigenous American made a saint.

The book is colorful and tells the story in a clear way, and it’s fun to have it both in English and Spanish if you teach Spanish or speak Spanish at home or in the classroom. It’s a great way to learn the basics of the celebration and the story of Juan Diego and why he is still remembered today.

About the book: 40 pages, paperback, published 2024 by Loyola Press. Suggested retail price $14.99.

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