| Explore | Through the past few weeks we have learned just how much we can tell about a tree by just observing it. By just looking at trees we can tell whether they are stressed, damaged or if they have poor root growth. By looking even closer we can see if the tree has been damaged by humans (graffiti, staples and nails) or insects (disease, cankers, leaf damage). |
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| Research Question | Question: How does the placement of a tree and its surroundings affect its health? How: While observing the trees around us we saw trees planted in different areas. Some areas included sidewalks, concrete, and large patches of grass. Some things to look for: exposed roots, stress, discoloration on leaves or branches. |
| Predictions | During our experiment we may observe that trees with not much room to grow, specifically near a sidewalk, will have exposed roots which may cause more stress and have a greater number of cankers than trees that are grown in an appropriate area. The reason for this is because the tree is not in the appropriate environment in order to grow properly. This is because the roots of the tree need space. In addition to this, the exposed roots are more vulnerable to disease and injuries. |
| Experimental Design | Plan: Observe a minimum of 16 trees, 8 trees in a park area and 8 in a street side area. While observing each environment, be sure to compare the health of the trees. These observations would consist of the amount of exposed roots, signs of stress, discoloration in leaves, and amount of cankers. Variables: *Constant -Environment/Location (Along streets Vs Parks ) *Measure and observe -Exposed roots -Quality of trunk -Quality of leaves Data: *Qualitative -Spots/Discoloration in leaves -Color of leaves -Trunk description -New tree sprouts along trunk *Quantitative -Number of exposed roots -Approximate height -Number of cankers |
| Investigation Theme | TREE |
| Grade Level | High School Students (Grades 9,10,11,12) |
| Teacher Name | Crystal Davis |
| School Name | California Academy of Mathematics and Science |
| Session | Spring 2021 |