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The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Aging Trees

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Aging Trees

An 8th Grade STEM Lesson

Jennifer Cooke

March 2023

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Notes for Teachers

Context: This lesson takes place in a digital classroom for one period.
This lesson can be adapted for synchronous or asynchronous instruction.
Students must create a free account on Gizmos in order to complete the exploration, so ensure this website is white-listed by your IT dept.
It’s best if you first create a ‘class’ on Gizmos (free).
This is the 2nd lesson in a series of 4. The links to the other lessons are in the Speaker Notes below.

List of Materials

Student Exploration Sheet (embedded in Virtual Project)
Vocabulary Sheet (linked)
Chromebook, laptop or tablet (one per student)
Reliable internet connection
Students each have a Google account
White-listed gz.explorelearning.com/

For teachers: At the beginning of this project, post the Virtual Project in your Google Classroom. Link it so that it requires students to make an individual copy. If you do not have a protocol for students to rename and save, create one now so they use consistent naming conventions. Have them immediately rename with First Name Last Name plus the original file name.

Teachers, you should also have a protocol to monitor and manage students’ use of the internet. Ensure they are visiting only the links within the lesson, not surfing to other websites.

Lesson Overview: The Measuring Trees Lesson using Gizmo introduces many basic science and math skills—measuring, estimating, making inferences, graphing, and running simple experiments. The Student Exploration sheet embedded in the Virtual Project allows students to capture their learning from the warm-up, two activities, and if you choose to use, the extension.

For background information on Measuring Trees Gizmo, visit gz.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?method=cREsource.dspDetail&ResourceID=666

Lessons in the Series:

Lesson 1

Lesson 3

Lesson 4

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Selected Web Resources

Gizmos Background gz.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?method=cREsource.dspDetail&ResourceID=666
Jamboard
Measuring Trees Gizmo Measuring Trees
Trees Charlotte: treescharlotte.org/tree-education/tree-age-equation/
Assessment Choice Board Tree Lesson Choice Board.docx
Printable Student Exploration Notes for this Lesson MeasuringTreesStudentExploration.doc

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Math Standards

8.EE.C.7 b. Solve linear equations and inequalities with rational number coefficients.

Mathematical Practices

8.MP.6 Attend to precision.

8.MP.7 Look for and make use of structure.

8.MP.3 Construct viable arguments.

Science Standards

Earth & Space Science

8.E1U3.7 Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about data and historical patterns to predict natural hazards and other geological events.

8.E1U3.8 Construct and support an argument about how human consumption of limited resources impacts the biosphere.

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Ed Technology Standards

6-8.1.b. Students identify and begin to develop online networks of experts and peers to customize their learning environments in accordance with school policy.

6-8.3.c. Students locate and collect a variety of resources and organize information to make meaningful connections.

6-8.7.a. Students use digital tools to interact with others to develop a richer understanding of different perspectives and cultures.

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Objective(s):

Today we will measure the height, diameter, and circumference of a tree.

Today we will determine a tree’s age by counting growth rings.

Today we will determine how rainfall affects the growth of a tree.

Today we will determine how growth changes as a tree ages (Extension).

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Agenda (60 minutes - 80 minutes)

Predicting Growth Patterns (5 min)

How is Tree Age Observable? (Warm up 15 min)

Measuring Trees Activity (20 min)

How Does Rainfall Affect Tree Growth? Activity (20 min)

Graphing Tree Growth (Extension, 20 min)

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Predicting Growth Patterns (5 min)

Using JamBoard, answer these questions together:

Trees grow throughout the year. During which season(s) do you think trees grow fastest?
During which season(s) do trees grow most slowly?
What weather conditions could make trees grow more quickly than normal?
What weather conditions could make trees grow more slowly than normal?

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How Is Tree Age Observable? (15 min)

Use Measuring Trees Gizmo which shows part of a forest.

As you go, complete warm up questions in Journal.

Teaching Notes:

Students learn that a tree adds a growth ring every year. Students should access Measuring Trees Gizmo here and complete the warm up questions 1 through 4 in their Virtual Project. Ensure you know how to navigate the Gizmo in case students need technical directions. Students can work individually or assign to small groups.

Measuring Trees Gizmo: Measuring Trees

��Trees Charlotte: treescharlotte.org/tree-education/tree-age-equation/

2. Either as a synchronous or asynchronous lesson, show students the Screencastify example of using the tree age formula with a sample circumference. ��Teachers: This lesson works for any tree species that exist in your local area. Simply adjust the source of your growth rates to match your locale and species of trees. Once you find these, be sure to update this lesson with the correct rates.

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Measuring Trees Activity (20 min)

Essential question: How can you measure a tree?

Use Measuring Trees Gizmo

As you go, complete Measuring Trees Activity questions in Project

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How Does Rainfall Affect Tree Growth? Activity (20 min)

Essential question: How does rainfall (rain, snow, sleet or hail) affect tree growth?

Use Measuring Trees Gizmo

As you go, complete Rainfall and Growth Activity questions in Project

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Optional Extension Graphing Tree Growth (20 min)

Essential question: At what point in its life does a tree grow most quickly?

Use Measuring Trees Gizmo

As you go, complete Graphing Growth Activity questions in the virtual project resource.

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Assessment

Choice Board

Select three tasks from the Choice Board.

Submit in a Google doc to Google Classroom.

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Differentiation for Observing Tree Age Warm-Up

If students struggle with measuring and units, first have them practice using rulers and meter sticks to measure lengths and heights prior to starting these activities. Discuss metric units of measuring length and explain the proper way to record answers.

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

Ask advanced students to find the relationship between the diameter (distance across) and circumference (distance around) of a circular object.

Have them measure the diameter and circumference of a variety of circular objects. For all perfectly circular objects, the exact ratio actually equals pi, which is about 3.14.