September 2023

She Climbs Trees

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Academic Standards

Reading Objective:

Students will identify steps scientists use to conduct investigations.

Next Generation Science Standards:

Practice 3: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

K-ESS3-1: The relationship between animals and plants and where they live

1-LS1: The survival needs of plants and animals

 

Vocabulary:

scientist, rainforest, observe, record

Check comprehension and inspire discussion.

 

1. What did Nalini do as a kid?
(She climbed trees.)

2. What did she become when she grew up?
(A tree scientist)

3. Did other scientists tell her to climb tall trees?
(No)

4. Draw what Nalini found when she climbed to the top of the trees.

 Go online to print or project the Reading Checkpoint.

  • Nalini designed a treetop explorer Barbie that looks like her. She did it to get kids excited about treetop science.
  • To climb tall trees, Nalini invented a tool that shoots ropes up to high tree branches. That lets her pull herself up!

Materials: A tree you can observe, pencils, clipboards, copies of the skill sheet. (Optional: hand lenses)

Overview:  Kids become tree scientists like Nalini as they observe a tree and record what they see.

Directions:

  1. Before you leave the classroom, tell students they’ll go outside to be tree scientists like Nalini. Remind kids that Nalini observes trees to learn about them.
  2. Give each student a clipboard, a pencil, and a copy of the skill sheet. Head outside and find a tree.
  3. At first, students can just stand in front of the tree and soak up impressions with all their senses.
  4. Now make specific observations: Is the tree large or small? What are the leaves like? How about the bark?
  5. Look for signs that animals live in the tree. Do students see a bird or insect, or maybe a nest or hole where an animal might live?
  6. Record observations on the skill sheets. If there’s time, kids can share findings with others—real scientists
    do that too!