Plant ID

This post follows last August's Tree Identification and A Reverence for Wood.

After reflecting on this problem for almost a year, I've decided that the campers ages 5-6, 7-8, and 9-10 will focus on learning ONE tree each week. We have a wonderful handmade set of labeled tree leaves, perfect for identification activities. We can put one up in each cabin each week, so that the children know what they are working on!

Some thoughts:

Start EVERY Monday with learning to ID poison ivy!!!! We have hundreds of 6 x 9 inch self-adhesive laminating sheets, so we can make up a poison ivy sample for each age group in camp to use this summer, and the children won't have to actually touch it when they pass it around. Then we can take them on a nature walk and see if they can spot it in the wild.

For Tuesday - Friday, we can do activities that focus on the Tree of the Week. We can display the framed leaf beginning on Tuesday. Each day the camp counselor can bring in several leaves, one or two of which ARE (and one or two of which ARE NOT) the tree in question. We can find and "adopt" a tree of that kind on the property and have lunch by it one day. We can do leaf rubbings and bark rubbings of that tree. We can ask the children to find another tree of that same type which is not the "adopted" tree. If that type of tree is used for something in particular, we can learn about that too. On the last day, to prove they can ID it, we can give them a laminating pouch and they can locate a tree and preserve a leaf to keep as their prize.

Nomenclature in Montessori is done with a three period lesson. Say to the child,

step 1: "This is [name]"

step 2: "Show me [name]."

step 3: "What is this?"

If they have learned correct terminology, they will be able to supply the name on step 3.

To start getting organized with this, first I need to list all of the framed identified tree leaves we have. Then I will need to check the TON grounds to make sure we have those trees on our property (American elms, for example, are nearly all gone due to Dutch Elm Disease). Then I will need to decide which age group should master which tree. Here's the list of all 18:

Dogwood

Elm

Hickory, Shagbark *

Locust

Maple, Sugar and Red *

Mulberry

Oak, Red *

Oak, White

Pawpaw

Persimmon

Redbud

Red Cedar

Sassafras *

Sumac

Sweetgum *

Sycamore

Tulip Poplar *

White Pine

I'm going to put a star by the trees that are also included in the Match a Leaf game, since that has beautiful pictures of the whole tree as well as the leaf.

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