Lesson Overview:

Students learn about trees, comparing those in Vincent van Gogh's paintings to those in nature. After learning about the botany of trees, students create leaf rubbings found, imitating Van Gogh's use of color.

Length of Lesson:

Three 45-minute class periods

Notes:

This lesson is particularly suitable for Grades 5, but can be taught with some adaptation for Grades 3-4.

Instructional Objectives:

Students will:

• discuss paintings by Vincent van Gogh.
• independently develop a classification method for trees.
• create leaf rubbings.
• learn about the ways to calculate the age of a tree.
  

Supplies:

• Drawing paper
• Pencils
• Newspaper
• Crayons
• Examples of coniferous and deciduous leaves from local/regional trees
• Various photographs of trees, including giant redwoods and tropical rainforests
• Cross-section of a tree (either one that has fallen or has been cut)

Instructional Plan:

Introduction

Provide students with copies of several poems about trees. Poets.org provides pertinent poem excerpts and authors' biographical information.

Read the poems aloud, and then lead the class in a discussion, asking questions such as, "What can you learn about trees from these poems?" "How does the author feel about the trees?" "What words or phrases give clues about how the author feels about trees?"

Ask students to list and discuss the types of trees they have seen in their local environment (home, school, etc.) Then, have students identify the parts of the trees, and list these on the board. Students should take notes as they will research and develop their understanding of the botany of trees throughout the lesson.

Van Gogh: Representing Trees

Have students view paintings of trees by Vincent van Gogh in an interactive slideshow. Ask students what they notice about the appearance of the trees in each painting. What parts of the tree can they see? Are all of the trees the same color? Are all of the paintings of the same kind of tree?

Tree Classification

Explain to students that trees can be classified by their visible parts: height, leaf type, bark, and branch shape. Divide students into cooperative groups. Provide each group with a set of the tree cards (index cards with pictures of trees pasted on them). (Note: Prepare these cards before the class. Use photos from magazines, journals, etc.) Have students discuss and record a variety of ways to classify their trees and have them sort them accordingly. For example, students could decide to classify and sort them by shape, by the type of leaves, by size, etc. Have groups share their method of classification with the rest of the class. They should be able to defend their system of classification.

Leaf Exploration

Bring to class a collection of leaves from regional trees. If possible, include examples from both coniferous (needle-leaf) and deciduous (broadleaf) trees. If you do not have these types of trees in your area, you may substitute pictures of these leaves.

Share the leaf collection (or pictures) with students. Have students describe the differences they observe among the leaves. Explain to students that needle-leaf trees are evergreen, meaning that they stay green the entire year. Point out that coniferous trees are cone bearing. (If possible, you may wish to bring in pine cones as part of the leaf collection.) List examples of coniferous trees, such as spruce, fir, and pine. Explain that broadleaf trees, also called deciduous trees, lose their leaves every fall after the leaves have changed colors. List examples of deciduous trees, such as maple, oak, and birch.

Note: If it is possible to take students outdoors to an area with trees, you may wish to have them collect leaves prior to this portion of the lesson. This will allow you to use their collections to illustrate the lecture. Alternatively, you could ask students to collect leaves ahead of time and bring them to school.

Tree Rings

Discuss with students what trees need to survive (water, food, and space). Have students generate a list of why trees are important to us. Remind students to think about all of the things we use on a daily basis that are made from trees.

Explain that trees are living things, and if they get what they need to survive, they can live for hundreds of years. Share pictures of giant redwood trees and trees in the tropical rainforest. Tell students that, due to their size, one can conclude that these trees have been around for a long time. Ask them if they know how to determine a tree’s age.

Display an actual cross-section of a tree with the students. This can be cut from a tree that has been cut or has fallen. Point out the tree rings. Explain that by counting the rings, it is possible to tell the age of a tree. Explain that the tree rings also tell a story about a tree’s life. Point out that certain events in a tree’s life can affect the rings. For example, years of drought or a fire can change the appearance of the rings. Have students examine the tree cross-section carefully to determine if anything extraordinary happened to it. (Note: If possible, try to verify the events that affected the tree; if it is from a local specimen, coordinate the patterns on the rings with actual historical events. You may be able to obtain this information from a local nature park. Have this information available to share with the students.) After you have discussed these incidents, have students write a poem from the perspective of the tree, focusing on the events that have shaped the tree’s growth and its life.

Leaf Rubbings

As a class, view the Van Gogh interactive slideshow again. Ask the students: How are the paintings similar? How are they different? How do they compare to real trees? Discuss the colors that Van Gogh uses in his paintings. Ask students to consider the impact these colors have on the painting.

Tell students that they will be creating leaf rubbings. Explain that, like Van Gogh, they should create a design that is inspired by a tree, but does not necessarily look exactly like a real tree. Explain that they should try to replicate elements of Van Gogh’s style, such as his use of bold colors.

Before they begin the leaf rubbing, have students draw a bare tree trunk as a base for their picture. Instruct students to select several leaves to use in their design.

Use the following process to create the leaf rubbings. (You may wish to model the process for students before allowing them to begin independent work):

• Lay newspapers on the work surface to create a padded area.
• Place an arrangement of leaves on the newspaper. The arrangement of leaves should be smaller than the paper that will be used for the leaf rubbing.
• Place a piece of paper over the leaves, being careful not to disturb the arrangement.
• Rub a crayon across the arrangement. The leaves will create an imprint on the paper.
• If desired, use different colors for each area of the arrangement.

Have students exchange their leaf rubbings with a classmate. Give students a few minutes to review the classmate’s work. Then, ask students to jot down the ways that the rubbing incorporates elements of Van Gogh’s style. Students should also identify whether the leaves used were deciduous, coniferous, or both.

When the students have completed this task, ask them to talk about their observations in a class discussion.

Assessment:

Have students revisit the list and notes they took at the beginning of the lesson. Have students address, in a one-page descriptive essay, facts and information they learned about classification of trees, leaf types, etc.

Collect the poems written by the students. Assess the appropriateness of the poem’s content and tone in relation to the "life story" of the tree as shown in its rings.

Assess the student’s leaf rubbing and evaluate the degree to which it incorporated elements of Van Gogh’s style. Also, collect student evaluations of classmates work and assess whether the student was able to articulate points about the content and style of his or her classmate’s leaf rubbing.

Use the Assessment Rubric to evaluate your students' work.

Extensions:

Provide nature field guide books so that students can identify the leaves.

As a writing exercise, ask students to place themselves in a previous time in history and write an account of an historical event from the perspective of a tree that witnessed the event.

Sources:

Print:

• Cherry, Lynne. The Great Kapok Tree. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1990.
• Giles, John. The First Forest. United Publishing Corporation, 1989.
• Holdridge, Barbara, ed. A Swinger of Birches: Poems of Robert Frost for Young People. Owings Mills, MD: Stemmer House, 1982.
• Ranger Rick’s Naturescope: Trees Are Terrific! Washington, D.C.: National Wildlife Federation, 1988.
• Silverstein, Shel. The Giving Tree. New York: Harper & Row, 1964.

Authors:

• Karen Smith, Teacher
  Saint John Regional Catholic School
  Frederick, Maryland US