We are digging into the pantry and creating a unique tree craft highlighting the winter wonder, evergreen trees using dyed pasta. Also, look at my pages Winter Season Unit Study Free Lapbook & Hands-On Ideas and Famous and Historic Trees Fun Nature and History Homeschool Unit Study for more ideas.
Evergreen trees are a fascinating and beautiful part of nature.
They stand tall and proud, even in the coldest and snowiest months.
Their vibrant green needles provide a welcome contrast to the white landscape.
These trees have adapted to survive in harsh winter conditions, and they offer many benefits to both humans and animals from food to wood products.
Included in the evergreen family are cypress, blue spruce, pine, and juniper.
And you may be surprised but the Live Oak, Holly, Laurel, and cypress are also considered to be an evergreen.
As a matter of fact, there are over 1,000 species of evergreen and conifers make up over 600 of those.
When you think of evergreen trees you likely think of ‘conifers’.
Conifers are a group of trees and shrubs like pine trees and fir trees which grow in cooler areas.
The fruit they produce is cones and have very thin leaves which are actually called needles, and they don’t normally lose them in winter.
There is a wide variety of evergreens in different shapes and sizes, from the towering redwoods of California to the small junipers in alpine regions.
Some have needles, others have thick leathery leaves, and some like the Italian Cypress have scaly leaves.
BOOKS ABOUT TREES FOR KIDS
To make learning about trees even more fun there is a wealth of facts, activities, and crafts for you to create a wonderful unit study on trees.
9 Tree Books & Resources for Kids Who Love Reading and Being Read To
You'll love using one of these books as a science reference or to use for art to inspire life science lessons.
Some trees have lived many lifetimes, standing as silent witnesses to history. Some are remarkable for their age and stature; others for their usefulness. A bristlecone pine tree in California has outlived man by almost 4,000 years; a baobab tree in Australia served as a prison for Aboriginal prisoners at the turn of the twentieth century; and a major oak in England was used as a hiding place for Robin Hood and his men (or so the story goes…).
The fourteen trees in this book have earned the title "Celebritrees" for their global fame and significance. Both in fact and in legend, these fascinating trees remind us not only how much pleasure trees bring, but what they can tell us about history.
Spectacular illustrations rendered in oil paint, and a rhyming text that describes a tree’s activities from its roots to its branches, introduce young readers to the amazing activities that go on in a tree. Acorns nibbled by chipmunks, ants scurrying across a trunk, a spider spinning a web, leaves “breathing out air for all to breathe in”—everything adds up to a “busy tree” for all to “come and see.”
This is a fantastic reference book to have on hand for tree studies.
It has great illustrations and covers everything from how a tree “eats and drinks” to types of trees, seeds, how they change in the seasons, why we need them and more
Acclaimed illustrator Julia Rothman combines art and science in this exciting and educational guide to the structure, function, and personality of the natural world.
An introduction to the world of insects, caterpillars, and butterflies including identification information, educational activities, and fun facts.Invites young naturalists to spot wildlife.
Tree Full of Wonder is a vibrant, rhyming, educational and unique picture book showing the unbreakable bond between people and trees. For children ages 3-8. Kids will fall in love with nature and will become Protectors of the Trees.
From the highest branch and leaf down to the complex “wood wide web” of roots, it’s no wonder every part of a tree plays an important role in its own growth and the habitat of the whole forest or woodland. The Magic & Mystery of Trees is a nature book that takes children on a fascinating journey of exploration, showing them just how special these mighty organisms are.
Learn and Play: These figurines provide a fun and educational way to learn about different tree species, promoting environmental awareness and appreciation.
Bringing the world of TREES to your fingertips, FANDEX presents a foolproof field guide. Four visual keys--die-cut leaf, bark pattern, flower, nut or seed, and photo of the full tree--plus descriptions of habitat and more combine to give a complete picture of North America's forest and backyard trees.
In addition, TREES is a cultural history--of the mighty White Oak, California Redwood, Aillanthus, the tree that grows in Brooklyn, and the stately White Ash, as important for the bows of early Native Americans as for the baseball bats of today.
Next, look at some fun facts about evergreen trees.
FUN FACTS ABOUT EVERGREEN TREES
- The needles are covered in a waxy coating that helps them retain moisture and prevent water loss during the winter months.
- Winter evergreen trees have deep roots that anchor them firmly in the ground, enabling them to withstand strong winds and heavy snowfalls.
- They provide vital food and shelter for many animals, including birds, squirrels, deer, and insects.
- Winter evergreen trees are an important source of lumber, paper, and other wood products.
- Many winter evergreen trees also produce edible seeds and berries, which can be enjoyed by both humans and animals.
- Evergreen trees have cultural and spiritual significance in many cultures and can symbolize resilience, longevity, hope, protection, peace, rebirth and renewal, eternal life, and the coming of spring.
When in the woods or a park and identify different types of winter evergreen trees, you can use a field guide or reference book like the one in my photos, The Tree Book For Kids And Their Grown Ups.
Additionally, look at more hands-on activities for kids about trees.
HANDS-ON TREE ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS
- From Forest to Fun: Unique Crafts With Tree Bark
- Hands-On Literature Nature Study: Simple Tree Craft
- Cardinal Birds in Winter and Birch Trees Easy Watercolor Kids Activity
- Celebrate Arbor Day With A Fun Flowering Cherry Tree Activity
- 10 Fun Facts About Kapok Trees You’ll Love
Too, look at more hands-on evergreen trees activities.
EVERGREEN TREE CRAFTS AND ACTIVITIES
- As always Nature Anatomy is a favorite resource as well including graphics and small tidbits on bark, tree rings, pinecones, and more.
- Collect some evergreen needles and examine them under a microscope to see their unique structure.
- Read a book about winter evergreen trees to your kids and discuss their importance in the ecosystem.
- Watch a documentary or video about winter evergreen trees online like this one Evergreen Trees on YouTube to learn more about their biology and ecological significance.
- With my Homeschool Kindergarten Life Science – Hands-on Fun Nature Tree Study you can explore trees deeper and learn more with fun activities and book recommendations.
- Younger kids will really enjoy the simple Fork Painted Tree Craft Idea For Kids.
- This Nature Study: Tree Trunk Slices is an amazingly creative look at tree rings with an artful twist while you learn what those rings mean.
- Create the art style of Emily Carr, writer, and artist who loves to recreate the western coast of British Columbia with this Artist study including 3 options.
Finally, look at how to make an evergreen tree craft.
EVERGREEN TREE CRAFT
You will need:
- Green liquid watercolor
- Dried pasta
- sticks/twigs
- Plastic gallon zip bag
- Cardstock
- Glue-optional
First, gather up pasta. Include several different shapes, the more you use the better variety of creations you can make.
Spaghetti noodles are great for pine trees!
Place pasta in a ziploc bag.
You can use liquid watercolor to dye your pasta.
Or add liquid food coloring and a generous squirt of hand sanitizer to dry pasta in the bag.
Massage the bag gently to distribute the color over all the pasta, add more color if needed.
Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and spread the pasta across it to allow it to dry.
Once dry it is ready to use.
You can offer it with glue to make a permanent tree art piece or it can just be laid out to create evergreen trees, gathered up, and then reused over and over.
Lay out small sticks and twigs for the trunk of the tree.
Then use the various dyed pasta shapes to create different sizes and shapes of trees.
Encourage your child to be creative with their dyed pasta shapes and make as many evergreen trees as they can.
