Appreciating Trees

Brainstorm and Research with Students

We encourage teachers to help students build a connection with and an appreciation of trees. Trees have intrinsic value as well as human-centered value. It is important to help students understand how trees are critical to human survival.

A brainstorming session with your students is a great way to help them start to build an understanding of the value of trees. Students can access their own prior knowledge, learn from each other, and start to get excited and invested in growing a forest at their own school.

© Ayesha Ercelawn

Instructions

Step 1: Create a Mind Map

Mind maps are fun, visual ways for students to organize their thoughts. There are many kinds, such as bubble maps and tree maps. Prompts to get students thinking can include, “Where have you seen trees? What are the benefits of trees? What do you love about trees? Who needs trees?” Use mind map templates or better yet, invite students to create their own, more open-ended mind maps. With the latter, more dynamic form of mind mapping, students can easily add to their maps as their knowledge grows. Students can work independently or in groups. See additional resources below for ideas on different kinds of infographic styles.

Step 2: Research Tree Benefits

Follow up the initial brainstorming session by helping students research the benefits of trees. This can reveal which ideas students missed during their own brainstorming, which ideas were affirmed, and what topics they might want to learn more about. We have listed some infographics, books, and online articles in our Resources section below to get you started.

Step 3: Explore Shade and Temperature

Engage students in a hands-on activity where they can experience one of the benefits of trees for themselves. The GSA activity How Cool Is Your Schoolyard?™ guides teachers and students in researching how a school forest can help shade and cool the school, by taking surface temperature readings around the school grounds. Note that this activity can also be Step 1 rather than Step 3 as you start to lead discussions on the value of trees at your school.

Additional Resources

These resources can be adapted for use across grade levels, unless otherwise specified.

Infographics 

The infographics in the links below visually illustrate the many reasons for appreciating trees while showcasing this information in a range of creative ways. Using infographics is a great way to support a range of student learning styles. You can use the examples below for further research as well as to inspire students to create their own visual graphics about trees.

arbor day school poster contest

Online Articles and Books

These books and student-friendly, short website pieces can be used as a starting point for further research on the benefits of trees.

Articles

Books for Preschool and Grades K-5 (English)

  • The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall and Shari Halpern

  • Be Thankful for Trees by Harriet Ziefert and Brian Fitzgerald

  • The Busy Tree by Jennifer Ward and Lisa Falkenstern

  • The Magic and Mystery of Trees by Jen Green and Claire McElfatrick 

  • One Small Place in a Tree by Barbara Brenner and Tom Leonard 

  • Science Comics: Trees: Kings of the Forest by Andy Hirsch

  • This Is the Tree We Planted by Kate McMullan and Alison Friend

  • Three Cheers for Trees!: A Book about Our Carbon Footprint by Angie Lepetit

  • We Planted a Tree by Diane Muldrow and Bob Staake

Books for Preschool and Grades K-5 (en Español)

  • Un Árbol muy Concurrido por Jennifer Ward y Lisa Falkenstern

  • La Magia y los Misterios de los Árboles por Jen Green y Claire McElfatrick

  • Verde Fresco: Árboles Asombrosos y Extraordinarios por Lulu Delacre

© ayesha ercelawn

More Resources

To research specific tree species in greater detail, see our suggestions in Tree Research with Students.

Read more about the benefits of schoolyard forests for student health and academic achievement here.

Schoolyard Forest System℠

The Schoolyard Forest System℠ Resource Library is a set of practical tools for schools and districts working to increase tree canopy on public school grounds to shade and protect PreK-12 students from extreme heat and rising temperatures due to climate change. Funding for the first phase of this initiative was provided by a grant administered by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) Urban and Community Forestry Program, and private philanthropy.