September 2023

She Climbs Trees

Download this lesson

Academic Standards

 

 

Reading Objective:

Students will identify steps scientists use to conduct investigations as they read about a scientist of the rainforest canopy.

Reading Level:

Lexile: 410L; GRL: K

 

Next Generation Science Standards:

Practice 3: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

2-LS4-1: Observe Plants and Animals and the Diversity of Life in Their Habitats

 

Vocabulary:

rainforest, canopy, observe, record

Use these questions to check students’ understanding and stimulate discussion:

 

1. What did Nalini do as a kid?
(She climbed trees.)

2. What did she become when she grew up?
(A tree scientist)

3. Did other scientists tell her to climb tall trees?
(No)

4. Draw what Nalini found when she climbed to the top of the trees.

Go online to print or project the Reading Checkpoint.

 

  • Nalini helped design a treetop explorer Barbie that looks like her. She did it to get kids excited about treetop science.
  • To climb tall trees, Nalini invented a tool she calls the Master-caster. It shoots ropes to high tree branches so she can pull herself up!

Materials: A tree you can observe, pencils, clipboards, copies of the skill sheet (Optional: hand lens)

Overview: Kids become tree scientists like Nalini as they observe and record their observations of a tree.

Directions:

  1. Before you leave the classroom, tell students they’ll go outside to be tree scientists like Nalini. Remind kids that Nalini observes trees to learn about them
  2. Give each student a clipboard, a pencil, and a copy of the skill sheet. Head outside and find a tree.
  3. At first, students can just stand in front of the tree and soak up impressions with all their senses.
  4. Now make specific observations: Is the tree large or small? What are the leaves like? What about the bark?
  5. Look for signs that animals live in the tree. Do students see a bird or an insect—or perhaps a nest or hole where an animal might live?
  6. Record observations on the skill sheets. If there’s time, students can share them with others—real scientists
    do that too!