First Grade Studies Beautiful Trees

We stepped into first grade recently, into a veritable classroom forest. There were displays of books about trees, nature artifacts that reminded us of our natural roots, and artwork that featured patched trees and their individual parts. First grade is studying beautiful trees in all their splendor.

The first grade “wolves,” as they call themselves, were contentedly reading to each other. They quietly tried out new words and soaked up fun ideas from illustrated books.

beautiful trees     beautiful trees

The Story of Trees

Their teacher, Rachel, guided them into a circle where they recited a poem about trees. They swayed like leaves, or dropped to the floor like apples. They sang and recited verses from the song, “I’m a Tall, Tall Tree.” At the conclusion, students huddled together to hear a story.

beautiful trees beautiful trees

Ms. Rachel read about many different trees that grow. She asked her students about all the different varieties they might have already known: “Apple tree!” one said. “Maple! Peach! Magnolia!” chimed others. First graders are about the same age as it takes for an apple tree to mature: 6-10 years, depending on the species.

The Four Elements to Make a Tree Grow

They arrived to a part in the book that detailed the four elements of what trees need to grow big and strong.

These first graders already knew:

Air. Water. Soil. Sunlight.

A Little Space

But there was just one more thing that trees needed to grow. What was it?

Rachel called up one student. Then another and another until there were four, standing so close together they could hardly breathe….

All these students were “trees that hadn’t fully grown” and they quickly figured out what that last thing was. Trees need space.

These four students spread out and demonstrated how having a little space made it much easier to spread and grow.

So many life lessons in that statement: having a little space makes it much easier to spread and grow.

The Natural and Physical Domains

There was more. Each student became an “element.” Rachel handed out cards of either air, soil, water, or the sun. Students wore them as badges of honor as they imagined they were air, water, soil, or sunlight. They lined up to head toward the outdoor classroom to incorporate two different modalities of learning: the natural and physical domains.

Rachel’s instructions were to run around the outdoor classroom, but when they heard, “1-2-3-GROW!” each person had to find the other elements that would make a tree. When all four students – elements – were joined, they’d make a circle, giving themselves some space. As they successfully “grew into a tree,” they’d exclaim, “I’m a tree! I’m a tree! I’m a tree!”

After several rounds of finding the different elements, students returned to their classroom. This space is a peaceful oasis that peers out to the Gnome Village below, giving the impression that they are, in fact, in a tree house. We knew they were secure in the knowledge that they wouldn’t soon forget what makes a tree grow from a seedling into a sprawling giant.

first grade trees