Field Guide: Kindergarten checks on trees

Read on for the latest happenings in USN's Young Naturalist Program.
By Lauren Hagan, Naturalist Teacher

On Tuesday, January 12 and Thursday, January 14, our brave young naturalists ventured out into the cold to observe and compare the beautiful twigs and buds of our kindergarten class trees. We observed the large claw-like buds of the Red Door sycamore, the tiny claw-like buds of the Green Door black cherry, the clusters of buds on the end of the Blue Door swamp white oak twig, and the colorful buds of the Yellow Door dogwood.

In the winter, when the leaves have fallen off the deciduous trees, scientists use the twigs and buds to help them identify trees. Back in the classroom, students observed the twigs and buds more closely and recorded their observations on a recording page. Now, we will wait for the longer hours of daylight and the warmer temperatures to signal these miraculous buds to burst forth into leaves and flowers.
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University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.