Make Your Own ‘Classroom Tree Fandex’
This activity gets children out into nature, improves their powers of observation as well as drawing skills,
teaches about trees, and helps them ‘connect’ with trees.
Items needed:
Tree identification books
Hole punch
Flexible measuring tapes (as for sewing)
Ruler
Crayons for bark rubbing
1 Brad
“My Tree” Outdoor Worksheet
“My Tree” Worksheet printed on cardstock
1. Print “My Tree” Outdoor Worksheets on paper, 1 per student. Print half as many “My Tree”
Fandex sheet on cardstock and cut in half vertically.
2. Discuss activity with children. Reinforce safety and being environmentally friendly while out in
nature. Stress that we do not want to harm the trees, so no picking of leaves, fruit, or flowers; no
pulling off insects, caterpillars, etc. from tree, and no eating of any leaves, fruit, or berries.
3. Take children out into an area that has trees, preferably a number of species or at least a number
of individual trees. Courtyards and school landscaping can be explored as well.
4. Each child chooses a tree to document for the ‘Class Leaf Fandex.’
5. Students draw ‘their’ tree as well as a leaf from the tree on the “My Tree” Outdoor Worksheet.
Leaf could be on ground, or they can observe those in tree- tell students NOT to pull any leaves
off tree. Draw so that base of leaf is at the bottom of box- it will need at least 1” of attachment to
Fandex blade to hold up to student use. Students also use crayon for a bark rubbing.
Some questions for students to discuss:
a. What is the overall shape of the tree- round, triangular, oval, weeping?
b. How big is the tree compared to others? Have students estimate how many kids tall the
tree is.
c. How big around is the trunk of the tree? (Use measuring tape.)
d. What is the bark like- smooth, rough, furrowed, peeling? What color/shade?
e. Are there flowers on the tree? Fruit or berries? If so, what color, how many petals or
berries, etc.
f. Are the roots visible? If so, what do they look like?
g. Are any animals in the tree, on the tree, roots, or leaves? Describe.
6. Once inside, students neatly transfer written information to their Fandex blade.
7. Students cut out the boxes on the solid line on the Outdoor Worksheet, then glue the leaf they
drew outside to the top box area of Fandex blade, and the small tree drawing to the “Shape” box.
8. Students cut out their Fandex blade along the outside lines (cut straight up from bottom to lines,
as printer will not print lines in margins). Students cut out the actual leaf shape (not just the
square box) at the top of the Fandex blade, making sure there is at least 1” of attachment to
Fandex blade.
9. The bark rubbing cut out is glued to the back of the Fandex blade.
10. Using the Fandex blade they just made, students compare it to the Tree Fandex provided in kit, or
to other tree identification books or websites, to determine type (species) of tree.
11. One hole is punched at the bottom center of each blade, and all are stacked and attached with the
brad for a ‘Classroom Tree Fandex.’
Extensions: The teacher’s name or school name could be used instead of “Classroom” and other
classes could use the Tree Fandex to identify trees outdoors; information can be added to Outdoor
Worksheet over time, so that flowers, fruits, etc. can all be recorded over time, and actual Fandex
made in latter part of school year; data from the Tree Fandex can be used for charting statistics like
height of trees chosen, how many had flowers or berries, rough bark vs. smooth, etc.
“My Tree”
Outdoor Worksheet
Shape:
“My Tree” Drawing
How many kids high?
Bark:
Flowers:
“My Tree” Leaf Drawing
Fruit:
Roots:
My tree is a home to:
I like my tree because:
“My Tree” Bark Rubbing
My Tree
My Tree
By __________________
By __________________
Type of Tree:
Type of Tree:
Shape:
Shape:
How many kids high?
How many kids high?
Bark:
Bark:
Flowers:
Flowers:
Fruit:
Fruit:
Roots:
Roots:
My tree is a home to:
My tree is a home to:
I like my tree because:
I like my tree because: