Preparation in advance of the lesson:

Prepare sentence strips with vocabulary words. Vocabulary words are listed in the right menu.

Prepare two bins to create models. The bins used need to be able to hold water:

• Model A: City with Trees uses soil, sticks, and sponges. An example of this model may be seen HERE.
• Model B: City without Trees uses soil, blocks to represent buildings, and materials to represent pavement.  An example of this model may be seen HERE.

Teacher Tips

Tip: When doing the experiment, encourage students to touch the “soil” in both trays to feel which one stays wetter and which one allows the water to slide right off. Use the term “Hidden Straws” frequently to reinforce the concept of roots!

Additional materials are listed in the right menu.

Activity: The Growing Tree

Students will participate in a Mindfulness Moment to ‘act out’ the growing of a tree. Have student stand, close their eyes, and listen to your prompts as you guide them through the movements.

• Our tree starts as a little seed: Have students crouch into a ball near their desks, imagining they are a seed in the soil.
• The sun warms the little seed and rain falls to give us the nutrients (food) and energy we need to grow: Narrate the sun warming them and the rain falling.
• You are starting to grow: Students stand up slowly and calmly. Your arms (branches) reach overhead and stretch high.
• You feel the wind as it blows through your leaves: Wave hands or roll wrists like leaves in the wind.
• The Tree Pose: Plant one foot firmly (“roots”) and raise the other to the inner calf or thigh. Hold Tree Pose for three breaths, then switch feet.

Instruction (10 minutes)

Ask students: “What do trees need to be healthy and grow?”  Create a class chart. Key elements for this chart should include Sun, Soil, Water but may include other ideas from the students.

Show the video  “The Tree’s Hidden Straws”

After watching the video, return to your chart. Ask students, “How do trees get water?” Add  roots to the chart. What happens to the water that isn’t absorbed by the roots?  Prompt students to recall the words  absorb and runoff as they discuss the needs of trees.

Sink or Slide

If weather permits, conduct this activity outside.

In this experiment, students will analyze two models of a city: one with trees and one without trees. They will observe what happens to the water when it rains. Examples of both models may be found above in the Preparation section.

Model A: A City With Trees includes trees, soil, and sponges.

Model B: A City Without Trees has pavement that causes the rain to runoff rather than be absorbed.

Observation: Use a watering can to “rain” on both models. Have students observe what happens to the water. Model A : A City with trees demonstrates water being absorbed into the soil around the trees. Remind students that this is also referred to as infiltration in the water cycle.  Model B: City without trees demonstrates runoff as the water flows over the pavement.

Real-World Connection: Walk around your schoolyard or neighborhood to see where there are trees.

• Read-Aloud: Return inside to read The City Tree by Shira Boss. YouTube link for read-aloud 
• Final Reflection: Revisit the chart. Discuss:
  • “How would/does having trees help our school/community?
  • (If your school has received or is getting new trees:) “How are the new trees we are getting going to help our school?
  • “Key Takeaways:
    • * Prevents runoff (stop flooding).
    • Provide shade (keep us cool).
    • Provide homes for animals.
    • Improve air quality

Bring it full circle to the natural water cycle, the water we use, our rivers and  Philadelphia’s nature-based solutions to stormwater runoff in our built environment.  All living things need and depend on water!