6 My Favourite Tree

Environment

Helping children to become aware of the natural environment by focusing on the crucial role of trees in nature, and fostering the development of perception in photos.

Task 1: Thought experiment – “A world without trees”

To help children understand the vital role trees play in the environment make them aware of their importance in the environment and the variety of trees in the world.

Thought Experiment

1. Ask children to imagine their neighbourhood without any trees. What would it look like?
2. How would it feel to play outside without trees?
3. What animals would be affected by the absence of trees?

Task 2: Each person’s favourite tree

Foster a deeper appreciation and understanding of individual trees through observation and categorization and familiarise them with different trees.

1. Outdoor Observation

   Go out to the school yard, park, or forest. Let the children observe the trees.

2. Each child selects a favourite or most interesting tree.

3. Encourage children to observe their chosen tree carefully.

   Observation Questions
   • How big is it?
   • Does anybody live there?
   • What do the leaves look like?
   • How does the bark look?
   • How does the tree sound when the wind blows?
   • How does the bark smell?
   • How does the tree make you feel?
4. Photography

   Let the children take photographs of their selected tree. Encourage them to visually answer the observation questions using the camera.

Tip: Take a picture of each child before they use the camera to keep track of which child took which photographs if multiple children share a camera.

Task 3: Select a photograph and continue the picture

1. Encourage creativity and deeper connection with the observed tree through art by having each child select one of their photographs. Print them out. Children glue the photograph on a large piece of paper and continue the image by drawing. You could also provide leaves or other natural elements you have collected during your walk to make a mixed-media collage.
2. Hang the pictures in the kindergarten and let the children talk about their tree.

Making it Inclusive

Make sure everyone’s tree is given a spot on the wall and let children speak in their own language if they have difficulty expressing their thoughts and feelings about their tree, even if you cannot find a translator. Being given a voice is already a starting point to belong and encourage learning the language for full understanding. You can tape the description and then try to find a translator later on to translate to all and for the child to know how it sounds in the language used in the school setting.

Variations

• House plants Use information about the children’s house plants in the same way as the information about trees.
• Imaginary plants and trees Encourage making up an imaginary green environment with made up trees and plants with drawing and collage from photos of trees and plants (taken by them and from magazines).

Further Ideas

• Read picture-books about trees, such as The Giving Tree.
• Select different landscapes and offer them in big format A3 and have them cut their drawing and photos of trees, and see which trees fit where. Then minimise the A3 to a smaller format (A5 or smaller) and make PDF postcards to send online to relatives by email or snail mail.