Teaching Science With Trees - Grades: PreK–K, 1–2 Last week I
visited a new preschool teacher who was teaching a science
lesson about evergreen trees. She was full of youthful
enthusiasm for her subject, and her students were fully engaged.
This teacher had a clearly stated objective, an effective mini-
lesson, and a simple, well-planned activity. After her class
left for lunch, we talked about books and activities she is
including in her preschoolers’ study of trees. Leaves are
everywhere, so fall is a great time of year to study trees. Read
on for science books and activities for your primary classroom.
And write in with your ideas for simple science lessons!
Evergreen Trees Lesson What stays the same in the forest from
season to season, and what changes? The preschool teacher and
her class answered this question. She brought in pine boughs and
pine cones for her mini-lesson about evergreen trees. As she
passed them around the circle of students, they identified
“needles” and “cones.” She had made sentence s