Tree identification Unit

 I've just finished a new teaching resource that is available on my teacherspayteachers page here:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Tree-Identification-Unit-6641761

This resource is a cross-curricular unit plan for Grade 4 Communities and Habitats, from the Ontario curriculum. It combines science, environment, art, language and outdoor activity. This resource can be used for a variety other learning purposes. It can work well with Grades 4, 5 and 6 for science curriculum, outdoor exploration, student inquiry project, visual arts and language. 

I created this unit based on lessons, activities and ideas that I worked out in the classroom. It is an engaging unit that kids will enjoy and is also fun to teach!

- Patrick 

Scientific Illustration Project + Leaf Identification Unit

This is a fun way to combine art and science. I developed this project this year for the Grade 4 Ontario Science curriculum: Communities and Habitats. This could work for students all all grades. 

After working through some fundamental science vocabulary about communities, habitats, and ecosystems, we studied local trees: coniferous and deciduous and how to identify trees based on the characteristics of their leaves. 

We spent a lot of time outside observing and documenting trees and collecting leaves. We then learned about scientific illustration and how to label, classify, identify, how to use a magnification bubble, and how to ask questions about what is being studied.

The final project:

Students create a poster about their chosen leaf. They draw a scientific illustration with relevant labels, questions and a magnification bubble. We got to laminate our leaves and add them to the poster. The students loved it and learned a lot!