Trees for all Seasons - Part 2: Evergreen Trees

Real World Connection:
(Teacher recalls the previous lesson on deciduous trees)
"Remember we talked about the bird family living in a deciduous tree yesterday?   So today, Mama bird has flown out to get some worms for breakfast, and Daddy bird is in the nest, talking to the baby birds. Brother bird asks, 'Dad? you know the neighbor bird family that is living in the tree next to ours?  We noticed their tree home is different that ours...the leaves don't change colors in the fall, OR drop off in the winter!'  And then Sister bird said 'Yeah! I noticed that, too! And their tree has little wooden CONES hanging on it!  That seems WEIRD!  What's up with THAT?'
Then, Daddy bird explained to the baby birds that there are LOTS OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF PLACES  (habitats) where birds and animals live!    He told them that Neighbor Birds' tree was called an EVERGREEN tree, because it stays green ALL YEAR, in every season!  And it reminds us of the word FOREVER, when things last a long, long time. Every now and then, one of the green leaves may die, or the branches might  break off....but it's always replaced with another GREEN one. (ask the students) Now, Daddy bird wants to hear from the baby birds about the EVERGREEN bushes and trees they have seen before....any of you baby birds want to tell us about one you've seen?  " ( individuals offer answers,  or can "pair/share" between "neighbors")
Daddy Bird tells the baby birds that EVERGREEN TREES can look many ways: 

• can be pointy at the top, with a "Christmas tree" look, covered with greenery from top to bottom
• or can be regular trees shapes, with a dark brown or gray trunk at the bottom, and a large round/oval shape  of leaves at the top
• sometimes look like large bushes, some that are as tall as your house! 
•  can be small and medium-sized bushes
• Also, some of the evergreen trees make  CONES, which are wooden, brown, tear-drop shaped "balls"...but  what are they for?  (Ask for ideas from students first)  The cone is made by the tree to hold NEW TREE SEEDS, so that when cones fall off, a seed that's in the cone can be covered by dirt, and make a BRAND NEW evergreen!

(Teacher leads a discussion question) Birds and small animals live in evergreen AND deciduous trees....if you were a bird or squirrel,...* what would you like about living in an EVERGREEN tree or bush ?
* What would you like about living in a DECIDUOUS tree?
No matter which tree you chose, trees are great plants that help your yard, your neighborhood, and the whole world! 
One thing they do that is VERY IMPORTANT  is help CLEAN THE AIR, and make it easier for animals AND humans to breathe, and get the air that we need to stay alive, and healthy!

(Please look under TEACHER NOTES for picture book listings that will provide great visuals  for  the lesson.) 

:
PROJECT FOR DAY 2:
(Before the PROJECT for Day 2 Evergreens, it would be helpful to show students some pictures of evergreens of different types, including close-ups of CONES listed in the RESOURCES section.)
(TEACHER DEMONSTRATES AS NECESSARY,as with Day 1:)
1.  We're going to draw evergreen trees and bushes today,but Let's only make ONE  fold  in the paper today. (Teacher demonstrates laying the paper VERTICALLY, and folding down from the top, & creasing,  to make 2 sections.)
2. [Hold up crayons & markers, varying shades of greens, blue-greens, yellow-greens, etc.]" Why do you think we're going to use these GREENISH colors today? " [Because we're drawing evergreen trees & bushes and they don't change colors like deciduous trees.]
3. Across the top of the paper, write EVER GREENS   
4.  Draw the BACKGROUND, [horizontally, i.e. from side to side], as in Day 1.
5. Encourage students to draw an evergreen tree or two, and a few evergreen bushes of varying sizes. Color in the evergreen trees & bushes with the varying shades of green. Be sure to add some BROWN cones to some of the evergreens.   
6. Students can decide a favorite season  they want their BACKGROUND to show. This is a good way to point out how a background is IMPORTANT  and adds a lot to the drawing. [ Recall how different sky colors, rain, snow, flowers, or human & animal activities are important in showing a certain season.] 
[If the teacher has any stickers to offer, it would be helpful to show them now, to help students decide if they want to use them to help show a different season]
7. LAST STEP!! [ teacher demonstrates... FLIP THE PAPER OVER, & it doesn't matter if it's vertical or horizontal.]  Draw a GIANT cone shape,  using a brown crayon. Try to show the little "U" shapes , or DESIGN , of the cone pieces, snugged up next to each other on the cone. It's like we're looking at a cone with a MAGNIFYING GLASS, because we drew it so big.   Write CONE under or beside it.   

EXCELLENT PICTURE BOOKS FOR THIS LESSON:

NIGHT TREE, by Eve Bunting ( features excellent drawings of both evergreens and deciduous trees in winter, and also has a valuable lesson about appreciating habitats for plants and animals)
THE TREE LADY, by H. Joseph Hopkins ( a true story of a woman who moved to  a desert-like town in California, and missed the beautiful trees she had known as a child in the eastern U.S.  She plants lots of trees and inspires other townspeople.  The text may have to be paraphrased a bit for K, but the drawings are amazing and will give them a great idea of the variety of evergreen trees, plus may help  "plant" ideas for their own artwork in the project.)