Teaching with Trees: Outdoors Learning at School Grounds

1. outlook • MAY 2007
groundnotes November 2007
Schoolgrounds-UK
Investigate what different types of trees
are used for: timber, fruit, other resources.
If you have non-native trees in your
grounds, where did they originate? Use
the trees in your grounds as a starting point
for exploring the importance of trees for
the environment, whether at a local or a
global level.
Mathematics
Trees are a good starting point for
lessons on measurement, approximation
and calculation.
To estimate the age of trees in
your grounds:
● Measure round the trunk of the tree
1.3 m from the ground with a length of
string or a soft tape measure. Record the
measurement of the girth
(circumference) in centimetres.
● A fast-growing tree, such as pine or
willow, increases its girth by
approximately 3 cm a year. Trees such
as oak, ash and beech grow more slowly
and increase their girth by about
2 cm a year.
● Divide the girth measurement by
2 or 3 accordingly to determine an
Teaching with Trees
approximate age.
Pupils could consider why such a
measure is only approximate, which links to
Science work on how plant growth is
Trees are an iconic element in our landscape and present in affected by conditions such as light, water
nearly every school. This Groundnotes provides an introduction availability and temperature.
to using them in the curriculum and advice on planting trees in
your grounds.
Trees across the curriculum from a book, children can explore them in
reality, which will be a more meaningful
Trees have always been important to learning experience. Plan each outdoor
people which makes them a valuable lesson so that it develops children’s
resource across the curriculum. They can investigative skills. Involve them in:
be linked to lessons in so many ways that planning the investigation; collecting
we hope this Groundnotes will at least help evidence; analysing the data.
you start. A useful subject team planning session
can be spent looking at your current
Science lessons and identifying which could be
Trees are a central topic in Science, both inspired by using your outdoors.
for learning about how plants grow and for
the importance of trees in their Geography
environment. If you have trees in your Children could map the trees in your
grounds you have fieldwork opportunities school grounds, plotting them onto either
literally on your doorstep. If you have a a sketch map of the site or a scale plan. For
felled tree, children can count the rings to each tree, children should consider what
find out how old it was. The thickness of Other measurements:
the purpose of the tree is: is it there for
each ring shows what the growing Although some parts of the tree can be
attractiveness, as a windbreak, or for
conditions were that year. measured accurately, height is likely to be
environmental benefit?
Rather than learning about food chains beyond reach. But, according to the ability
LEARNING THROUGH LANDSCAPES

2. groundnotes • NOVEMBER 2007 timber for woodwork lessons. You could
invite a professional woodworker or
chainsaw sculptor in to demonstrate
their skills.
Ask a local carpenter or sawmill if they
can provide samples of different types of
wood to allow children to explore the
variation between them and discuss how
they are suited for different purposes. Try to
get examples of wood from the trees you
have in your grounds.
Consider planting an arboretum in your
grounds containing some of the trees
whose wood is used commercially. If you
have a commercial forest within easy
travelling distance, a visit can build links
between Technology, Geography, and
Business / Enterprise learning and provide a
new perspective on the ornamental trees in
your grounds.
Understanding society
Throughout history and across the
world, trees have been celebrated through
ceremonies and traditions such as tree
dressing. Children could research different
traditions, and perhaps recreate some in
your own grounds.
If you have an old tree in your grounds
use its life span to create a timeline of
events. Children could research changes in
clothing, transport or technology
throughout the tree’s life. Does the tree
pre-date the school? If so, might it be a
remnant of a garden, woodland or
hedgerow? What evidence can children
find in the local area, perhaps by looking at
old maps, to support their ideas? Link your
own trees to trees in your wider community
through studying the history of woods in
your area.
of the children, it can be estimated using a more permanently by writing with
variety of techniques: waterproof felt-tips onto tiles and
● stand a person of known height next to varnishing them before hanging from
the tree, and ask children to estimate the branches.
how many times taller the tree is;
● compare the ratio of the shadow of a Expressive Arts
known object (e.g. a metre rule) with Music, art or dance can all be inspired
the shadow of a tree; by trees. Explore and celebrate how trees
● trigonometry. change through the year and in different
weathers. Encourage close observation as
the starting point; spend quiet time among
Language, literacy and
your trees, absorbing the sounds, sights
communications skills
and textures.
Trees have long been immortalised in
poetry, sometimes specific ones (perhaps
Physical education and development
there is one in your area?). Use your trees
Existing trees can be built into activity
to create tree poetry or stories, you might
trails around the grounds to set fun
want to start by reading works from
physical challenges.
other authors.
A tree planting campaign not only
One nineteenth century Oxfordshire
enhances your grounds and improves
man was so inspired by his local beech
the environment, but also provides
trees, he carved a poem on one,
hearty exercise!
highlighting his passion for the landscape.
Although the poem tree itself died in the
Technology
early 1990s, some of the poem survived on
Forestry is a major business and wood
the remaining trunk. We wouldn’t suggest
an important construction material. If a
you go this far, but children could hang
tree needs to be felled in your grounds,
their poems on a tree, either on paper or
enquire whether you can have some of the
TEACHING WITH TREES

3. groundnotes • NOVEMBER 2007
Trees in your grounds
Which trees?
Native trees, particularly those which
are local to your school, offer the best
wildlife and environmental value. However,
consider whether your school grounds
offer them the conditions they have
evolved to cope with. Many school
grounds provide compacted and arid soils,
atmospheric pollution and hot
microclimates, a long way from the
woodland conditions they might be
designed for. In these circumstances, you
may be better considering non-native
species, even though they may have
reduced wildlife value.
● Avoid creating slippery surfaces: plant
prolific fruiting species (e.g. hybrid
hawthorns and rowans) in grass so that
fruits don’t fall on pavements. Large
leaves can make footway surfaces
extremely slippery (e.g. horse chestnut).
Flowering species look beautiful in
flower but soon leave a carpet of fallen
petals so make sure your caretaker is
happy about this!
● Trees best avoided near play areas are
those that produce poisonous fruits (e.g.
female yews and laburnum); or whose
fruits may cause stomachache if eaten
(e.g. fruiting crab apples).
Summer
Most established tree festivals take place ● Avoid affecting foundations or
in the autumn or spring, but we certainly disrupting surfaces or lightly founded
shouldn’t take our trees for granted in the structures such as boundary walls: some
summer. The shade from trees is always trees have a high potential to extract
welcome on a sunny day, which makes moisture from shrinkable soil (e.g.
summer an ideal time to decorate your poplar and willow species); others are
notorious for producing suckers and
Celebrating trees trees to make them even more inviting.
surface roots (e.g. white poplars, false
Or why not ask a local chainsaw artist into
throughout the year school to create benches and sculptures acacia and wild cherry).
out of tree trunks? ● Trees that cast a dense shade and reach
Winter large dimensions (e.g. oaks and
The Tree Council’s National Tree beeches) are not suitable for planting
Week, the annual winter tree planting near property because of the problem of
festival and celebration of trees and woods, shading windows and gardens.
is held late November / early December ● If vandalism is likely then either use small
each year. As well as tree planting at sites trees (avoid using stakes or guards
across England, Wales, Scotland and which draw attention to the planted
Northern Ireland, National Tree Week trees, using thorny shrubs or brambles
activities include tree dressing, woodcrafts, to protect them) or use large mature
walks, talks, songs and storytelling. Autumn trees (staked effectively).
Starting on the autumn equinox
Spring (considered to be the first day of autumn, Where from?
The Tree Council’s Walk in the Woods around 22 September), the Tree Council’s Local suppliers of trees may be listed in
festival of walks, talks and other events Seed Gathering Season encourages the Yellow Pages under Nurseries –
takes place in town and countryside everyone, particularly schoolchildren and Horticultural or Garden Centres but most
throughout May. It’s a great month to go families, to gather seeds to grow the trees of these will be suppliers of container-
down to the woods or enjoy the trees in a of the future or to enjoy fruit in jams and grown ornamental stock. For native trees in
local park: spring flowers, birdsong pies. Go for a walk to collect seeds, nuts quantity your best starting point is to
and fresh green leaves make them and fruits from local parks and woods or contact the tree officer at your local
particularly inviting. Hold your own events take part in organised events. Seeds Council, who should be able to give you
in your school grounds, such as teddy gathered from trees in your grounds or the names of local suppliers.
bears’ picnics, treasure hunts, games beyond can be grown to plant in your Organisations such as The Tree Council
and storytelling. grounds for future generations to enjoy. and The Woodland Trust run trees for
TEACHING WITH TREES

4. ,
groundnotes • NOVEMBER 2007
that would tear new roots out of the soil. If
a tree grows healthily it should produce
sufficient new roots in one growing season
schools schemes so check their website to hold itself upright. Nevertheless it would
for availability. be prudent to leave the tree with the ‘prop’
until the beginning of the second growing
When? season after planting. Then release the tie
It is best to place orders as early as and gently push the tree to one side and,
possible, by July or August for supply in the provided the soil does not break away from
late autumn / winter. Lifting of open around the roots, remove the support. By
ground stock will take place from October / the time the next autumn storms occur
November, depending on the species natural anchorage should have developed.
concerned and the season. If mild weather Newly planted trees do not require
continues late into the autumn, lifting will much ongoing maintenance though they
have to be delayed as it cannot be done will benefit from watering during the drier
until cold weather has stopped plant months. This can be a great way of
growth and hardened shoots. When encouraging children to care for the trees,
placing an order, request delivery by a perhaps by setting up a rota. It can also be
certain date if necessary, but be prepared beneficial to keep the mulch topped up as
to be flexible as either mild or very wet this ensures the trees don’t have to
weather can affect lifting, just as very wet compete for water. If weeds grow through
or cold weather can delay planting. the mulch they can be removed by hand.
frosty or cold windy weather. Deciduous
Planting trees are best planted before Christmas; More information
Detailed advice on how to plant a tree evergreens are best planted either early Many organisations exist to provide
can be found in most gardening books, or late in the season, when their roots information and advice about trees at both
as well as on the websites of organisations are somewhat active. local and national levels.
such as The Woodland Trust and The Don’t: The Woodland Trust is the UK’s
Tree Council. ● Plant trees in close proximity to leading conservation charity dedicated to
buildings / structures where they may the protection of our native woodland
Some Dos and Don’ts that might not cause structural damage either directly heritage. Their extensive website
be covered in general gardening (e.g. boundary walls / paving) or www.woodland-trust.org.uk includes
references indirectly (tree related subsidence). links to their educational sections:
Do: ● Plant under overhead services (e.g. Tree for All www.treeforall.org.uk;
● Get the landowner’s permission before electric cables, phone wires) or directly Nature Detectives
planting trees. over underground services. www.naturedetectives.org.uk;
● Consider the possible nuisance a tree ● Obscure any road sightlines or road Native Tree Shop
may cause in a particular situation signs by planting on a boundary www.native-tree-shop.com; and
e.g. ultimate size may cause problems close to the road, or obscure street / www.british-trees.com which helps
with shade, or touch / knock buildings security lighting. with tree identification.
and windows. The Tree Council provides useful
● Damage interesting habitats, for
● Remember that the likely range of a information on planting and maintaining
example by shading out old grassland,
mature broadleaved tree’s root activity trees, as well as their events and grants.
streams or ponds.
may often equal twice the ultimate www.treecouncil.org.uk
● Assume that because you don’t have any The Forestry Commission is the
height of the tree. This can cause open ground, you can’t have any trees.
problems on clay based soils where government department responsible for
Even without digging up hard surfaces, the protection and expansion of Britain’s
foundation collapse may occur as a small trees can be grown in large
result of ground shrinkage due to the forests and woodlands. Search for your
planters, as long as you take care to nearest Commission-managed wood and
extraction of water by tree roots. water them. read about their resources and services for
● Plant young trees. Generally the smaller
schools at www.forestry.gov.uk
a tree when planted, the more readily it Maintenance The Forest Education Initiative
becomes established and begins to A tree lifted from a nursery bed will have supports Forest Schools and provides
grow. It is not uncommon for a self-set lost up to four-fifths of its root system. learning resources at
tree seedling or whip to outgrow and What remains is insufficient to anchor the www.foresteducation.org
reach maturity before a well maintained tree securely once it is replanted. A
standard. container grown tree has a similar problem
● Consider growing your own trees from because its roots are within a package of
the seeds of trees growing in or near the compost in which the roots will remain at © This resource was originally
grounds. This is not just because it is fun first. The compost will slip in the backfill soil created as part of the Schoolgrounds-UK
to start your own tree nursery. Raising membership scheme from the
around it. There is, therefore, a need to
trees from seed or stock of local origin national school grounds charity
provide temporary anchorage by using a
helps to ensure the survival of local Learning through Landscapes
stake to hold newly planted trees upright operating in Scotland as
genetic strains which may be swamped until new roots develop into the Grounds for Learning
by the widespread planting of trees of surrounding soil. Only a short stake is A registered charity (No. 803270)
non-local or even non-British origin. needed, reaching no more than one-third
To find out more about
● Plant from October to March or April of the height of the trunk. A simple tie at
membership call 01962 845811
but try to avoid planting on days with the top of the stake will reduce the swaying or visit www.ltl.org.uk
TEACHING WITH TREES