Trees at Work
Provided by: Illinois Department of Natural Resources|Published on: May 1, 2025|Last updated: September 26, 2026
Grades: K, 1, 2
Type: Lesson Plans
Subjects: Science
Authors: Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Location: North America > United States, North America > United States > Illinois
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This primary lesson from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources introduces students to the impact trees have on our everyday lives.
- Students will learn about the role of trees in providing shelter, creating goods, and making our environment healthy.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- The lesson has built-in extension activities that are specifically geared towards younger grades and allow students to make a personal connection to the lesson.
- This lesson is the perfect beginning lesson to introduce students to biodiversity and the impact the environment has on our lives.
- The lesson has the background information, vocabulary, and visuals needed in order to meet the learning needs of younger students.
Prerequisites
- Teachers may teach the vocabulary needed for the lesson ahead of time, including the terms carbon dioxide, environment, erosion, oxygen, and sap. Vocabulary cards with pictures may be important for young students to understand the vocabulary and make the connections needed for this lesson.
- An anchor chart of what trees take in and give off (visual in lesson plan) can be created before the lesson, or during the lesson with students, in order for students to have a visual to refer back to.
- In order to complete the "Trees at Work" project at the end of the lesson plan, teachers may consider prepping the 9 x 12 white construction paper ahead of time, folding or cutting the paper depending on students' abilities.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Students can draw a picture of wooden objects found in the classroom and/or at home.
- Students can bring in a small wooden toy to make a personal connection to how trees impact their lives on a daily basis.
- Students can bring in a snack that has to have come from a tree and do a brief show-and-tell describing what type of tree it came from.
- Teachers can highlight the sections that prompt others to imagine a world without trees and transition to a conversation about deforestation, using this writing activity as an extension. Teachers of older students can give a basic rundown of how trees keep our planet cool.
- Teachers can use this STEM activity as a way to incorporate building and measurement into the learning segment.
This lesson provides elementary knowledge on the structure of trees and their importance to living things, including humans, biodiversity, and the planet. We examined the exercise in the lesson and found it insightful for classroom use.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
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