the Wonderful w
rlD of trees
Spookley the Square Pumpkin
Do you ever wonder how trees live, survive, and flourish in a four-season state like Minnesota? Trees are beautiful, miraculous plants that are necessary for clean air and provide the planet with many benefits. Trees are great for shade, hanging tire swings, playing hide-and-seek, harvesting maple syrup, and much more. Now, let’s dive into the wonderful world of trees!
Seeds Most trees drop seeds in the late summer through the fall. When a seed lands in a favorable spot, it will begin to grow.
Saplings Saplings are trees from 1 to 4 inches in diameter. They compete with many threats that mature trees do not, such as lack of nutrients, space, and wildlife.
Sprouts Seeds that land in favorable spots open, grow, and expand to become sprouts.
Life Cycle of a Tree
Snags A snag is a dead tree that no longer grows, eats, or produces. When a snag falls, it returns its nutrients to the soil and helps new trees grow!
Declining Trees Stresses, such as diseases and insects, begin to take a toll on mature trees, and their days become numbered.
Mature Trees Mature trees will continue to grow as big and as long as their species allow (you can measure how old they are by the number of dark rings in their stumps!). They also develop flowers, seeds, and fruits.
Changing of the Seasons So why do trees change colors during the fall? Leaves are full of a material called chlorophyll, which allows trees to convert water and carbon dioxide into sugar and oxygen. Chlorophyll is also the material that gives leaves their bright green color. In the fall, chlorophyll production slows down in trees as the weather gets colder and the days get shorter. When the green color
Learn about acceptance this month by reading The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin by Joe Troiano. Spookley is a square pumpkin who lives in a round pumpkin patch. The story helps encourage tolerance and kindness in children through a fun and easy-to-read format that resonates with children.
from chlorophyll fades, it presents the “true” colors of the tree’s leaves. Trees’ yellow and orange pigments come from materials called carotenes and xanthophyll, while red, pink, and purple pigments come from anthocyanin. Deciduous trees eventually lose their pretty fall leaves to conserve water and nutrients to help them survive the cold weather.
Bullying prevention is important to us at Playworks, and making these concepts easy to understand can help stop bullying before it starts.
Parts of a Tree Leaves A tree’s leaves create its food through photosynthesis. They use the sun’s energy to turn carbon dioxide into sugar (the tree’s food) and oxygen. Branches A tree’s branches house its leaves and transport food throughout the tree. Trunks The outer bark of a tree protects it from injuries, diseases, and wildlife. The inner wood provides support and transports food. Roots A tree’s roots absorb water and nutrients from the soil and store excess food. They also create an anchor for the tree so it doesn’t fall.