re e ee t toop - ecosystems.psu.edu

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4-HFOREST

RESOURCESBEGINNERGUIDE

18 U.S.C. 707

ContentsWelcome to TREETOP! ................................................3

CHAPTER 1:Tree Tales ............................................................................4

CHAPTER 2:Flows and Goes in the Forest ............................... 13

CHAPTER 3:I Need You, You Need Me ....................................... 22

CHAPTER 4:Different Trees, Different Forests ..................... 29

CHAPTER 5:Change in the Wind .....................................................37

4-H FOREST RESOURCES BEGINNER GUIDE

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Adapted for use in Pennsylvania bySanford S. Smith, natural resources and youth specialist; James C. Finley, assistantprofessor of forest resources; and Robert S. Hansen, extension forester in BradfordCounty.

Special Thanks to These Reviewers:Margaret Brittingham, associate professor of wildlife resources, Penn State

Edward Dix, education specialist, Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry

John Falter, extension agent, Penn State Cooperative Extension in Berks County

Joe Fuller, extension agent, Penn State Cooperative Extension inWyoming County

William Hosler, extension agent, Penn State Cooperative Extension inHuntingdon County

Patreese D. Ingram, assistant professor of agricultural and extension education,Penn State

Christy Kohler, youth program coordinator, Penn State Department of Agriculturaland Extension Education

Earle Robbins, extension agent, Penn State Cooperative Extension inTioga County

Patricia D. Smith, 4-H volunteer and homeschool educator

Susan Taylor, extension agent, Penn State Cooperative Extension inAllegheny County

Adapted with permission for use in Pennsylvania from the Minnesota ExtensionService publication TreeTop. Copyright 1994, Minnesota Extension Service,University of Minnesota.

Additional illustrations provided by Jeffery Mathison on cover and pages 30, 46,48, and 50; and by J. M. Francis from Common Trees of Pennsylvania, Depart-ment of Conservation and Natural Resources, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Visit Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences on the Web: http://www.cas.psu.edu

Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences research, extension, and resident education programs are funded in part by Pennsylvaniacounties, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Where trade names appear, no discrimination is intended, and no endorsement by Penn State Cooperative Extension is implied.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work, Acts of Congress May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S.Department of Agriculture and the Pennsylvania Legislature. T. R. Alter, Director of Cooperative Extension, The Pennsylvania StateUniversity.

This publication is available in alternative media on request.

The Pennsylvania State University is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to programs, facilities, admission,and employment without regard to personal characteristics not related to ability, performance, or qualifications as determined byUniversity policy or by state or federal authorities. It is the policy of the University to maintain an academic and work environment freeof discrimination, including harassment. The Pennsylvania State University prohibits discrimination and harassment against any personbecause of age, ancestry, color, disability or handicap, national origin, race, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.Discrimination or harassment against faculty, staff, or students will not be tolerated at The Pennsylvania State University. Direct allinquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policy to the Affirmative Action Director, The Pennsylvania State University, 328 BouckeBuilding, University Park, PA 16802-5901, Tel 814-865-4700/V, 814-863-1150/TTY.

Produced by Information and Communication Technologies in the College of Agricultural Sciences

© The Pennsylvania State University 1998 D0440A R2.5M3/03ps4240

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Welcome to

Do you like trees? Do you like to sit under one on a hot day? Doyou like to climb the branches of a tree, like a ladder? Do you liketall trees? Wide trees? Brown trees in the winter? Green trees in thesummer?

Forests are made of trees and other plants. Animals live in forests.Forests are alive! Everywhere!

TreeTop helps you find out about forests and trees. Trees are very,very important! We use trees for making things like paper andhouses. Trees shade and cool our homes. They absorb sounds andkeep the city from getting too noisy. They make the air cleaner.Trees give squirrels, birds, and other animals food and places to live.

This book is for learning and fun. It is yours to write, draw, andcolor in. Write your name in this book at the bottom of this page.

4-H’ers can use the project ideas at the end of each chapter. School-children and everyone else can use the project ideas for classprojects or science fairs. Or you can just do the projects for fun!

My name is:

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CHAPTER 1: Tree Tales

Trees Up CloseWhat is a tree? Is it something to climb?What do you imagine when you think of atree? A giant old oak? A weeping willowwith branches that touch the grass? A whitepine that doesn’t look even on all sides?

You see a tree from your viewpoint. Buthow do other living things see a tree? Howdo an earthworm, a caterpillar, a squirrel,and a woodpecker look at a tree?

An earthworm who lives under theground “sees” only roots.

A caterpillar munches all day long ontree leaves.

Trees get cavities(say cav-it-ees),but not from eatingcandy! Trees getcavities when theirwood rots or breaksaway. A woodpeckerlives in a cavity, orhole, in the treetrunk.

A squirrel builds a leafy nest in atree branch.

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A tree hasfour main parts:■ roots

■ trunk

■ branches

■ leaves

The roots take water and nutrients(nutrients are minerals) from the soil. Rootsalso help hold a tree in place. If a tree didn’thave roots, it would fall right over!

The trunk helps water and nutrients get tothe rest of the tree. Inside the trunk there iswood. This wood acts like many tiny pipe-lines or straws all bound together to helpkeep the water and nutrients moving. Thetrunk is also stiff, which helps the tree tostand straight!

The branches grow and grow as a tree getsolder. Branches hold leaves and help makefood. But the leaves are the hard workers!They make most of the food forthe tree.

But what happens when the leaves fall to theground in autumn? The trunk and roots storefood for the tree to use during winter andnext spring!

A tree needs all four parts—roots, trunk,branches, and leaves—to live a long life. Atree is a living thing, just like you. It usesair. It needs sunlight. It needs food andwater. It grows. But a tree is not a humanbeing! It is a member of the plant family.You are a member of the animal family.

Nutrients (say new-tree-ents)are like food. They help ananimal or plant grow. Threenutrients that are important totrees are:

CARBON

NITROGEN

COPPER

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Write the name of the tree part on the correct line. A list of tree parts is on thebottom of the page. Decide if it is summer or autumn, then color your tree.

roots trunk branches leaves(Answers on page 51.)

A.

B.

D.

C.

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A tree helps you survive in the world. Howcan that be? Well, a tree takes in a gas fromthe air called carbon dioxide. It then givesoff oxygen. And who breathes the oxygen?You do! Without trees and other plants, youwould not be able to live on Earth. Trees andplants need to use some oxygen and give offsome carbon dioxide, too! Fortunately forus, they make far more oxygen than theyneed!

Trees and other green plants make their ownfood. No, they don’t slap together a peanutbutter and jelly sandwich. Instead, they usesunlight, water, and carbon dioxide (the gasin the air) to make sugar and oxygen. Thisprocess is called photosynthesis. Thissugar, plus the nutrients and water that theroots take up, helps trees grow leaves andbranches. These leaves can be food forliving things like caterpillars and deer.Trees feed many animals!

Makers, Eaters, andBreakersWe know that trees and other green plantsmake their own food. They are themakers, or producers. They are theonly things on the Earth that can make foodfrom sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide.You can’t do this, even if you stand outsidewith your arms stretched over your head!

If you are not a producer, what are you?You are an eater, or a consumer. Thismeans you have a lot in common with acaterpillar! You both like to munch on food.Have you ever eaten grapes or green beans?How about squash or strawberries? If youhave, then you’ve eaten plant material.Trees and green plants make food for youand other animals.

carbon dioxide in

oxygen out

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Worms, snails, and mushrooms arebreakers, or decomposers. They feedon animals and plants that are dead. Ughhh!This may sound disgusting, but it’s very

Color the makers green, the eaters orange, and the breakers brown. (Answers on page 51.)

important. Breakers give the makers nutri-ents. The makers use the nutrients to growbigger and to make new food for the eaters.

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Pieces andParts of the ForestAre there any dead trees in your neighbor-hood or near your home? Dead trees don’thave any green leaves. Their bark may falloff onto the ground.

People often harvest, or cut down, deadtrees. They use a saw to make firewood. Orthey look for trees laying on the ground.People will make firewood from these trees.But is it a good idea to harvest all dead orfallen logs from the woods?

Not always. Some of these trees should beleft where they are. Scientists have foundthat dead trees and logs are important. Thinkabout it. Where do you see squirrels in theforest? Are they sitting in wildflowers? Ordo they chatter while standing on logs?What about birds in the forest? Do you seethem sitting on a rock? Or do they perch inthe limbs of dead trees? Animals love tohide and find food in logs and dead trees.

Have you ever seen a stream in a forest? Didyou know that dead trees are important to thestream? How can that be? Well, when a treefalls into a stream, it creates a pool. This poolcan be a home for fish. Trout, salmon, andother kinds of fish love logs. They can hidefrom bigger fish and rest behind these logs.

Circle each animal above that uses dead trees and logs. (Answers on page 51.)

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Sing the Maker (producer), Breaker (de-composer), or Eater (consumer) Song! Youcan sing these songs with a friend (or two orthree or more).

Sing them to the tune of “Are You Sleeping,Brother John?”

Fun Things to Do . . .

The producer

The producer

Loves the sun

Loves the sun

Uses air and water

To make lots of sugar

Works so hard

Works so hard

Decomposer

Decomposer

On the log

On the ground

Breaking down the tree bits

Making special nutrients

Eat them up

Eat them up

The consumer

The consumer

That is me!

That is me!

Peaches, pears, and pastry

Peanut butter’s tasty

Eat them up

Eat them up

The Consumer Song

The Decomposer Song

The Producer Song

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Look for Log Hogs. Study an old log orstump. Use a pencil to gently remove piecesof bark (the outside “skin” of a tree). Lookfor insects, like those drawn here. Look forfungi (like mushrooms or white, rottingwood) on the log, too. These are all break-ers (decomposers).

Science or Roundup ProjectsComplete at least one of the following projects:

PROJECT 2. If you were a tree,what kind of tree would you be?

Are you big and strong, like a red oak? Doyou smell good, like a white pine? Are youkind of a nut, like a walnut tree? Do youchange from season to season, like a redmaple?

Learn about the tree you pick. You maywant to read in a book, such as a field guide,about the tree you’ve chosen. Then drawpictures of your tree. Glue the drawings to aposter board. If you can find “your tree”growing near you, glue several leaves andtwigs from the tree to your poster. Writedown five things that you know about thetree. And be sure to write why you are likethe tree you’ve picked!

PROJECT 1. Become a treedentist—look for cavities!

Remember, cavities are holes in trees whereanimals live. Look at trees around or nearbyyour home. Do they have cavities? Dead ordying trees usually have more cavities thanhealthy, young trees.

Watch the cavities to see if birds or otheranimals use the holes. If you have binocu-lars, use them to watch the holes. Draw thetypes of animals that use the cavities. Arethey birds? Owls? Squirrels?

Write the times of day you see theanimals. Watch your cavity for about15 minutes each day for a week. For yourproject, glue your drawings onto a posterboard. Also glue your record of when yousaw the animals and what they were doing.

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“TreeTime!”If you like trees, choose one to study! Pickone special tree that is close to where youlive. It can be a big tree or a little tree. It canbe a tree with needles. It can be a tree thatloses its leaves in the autumn. In the nextfew chapters, you’ll need your special tree todo TreeTime activities.

First, find out the kind of tree you’ve cho-sen. If you do not know, have your parent,another adult, or your teacher help you.

If the leaves are thin like needles, you’vechosen a conifer (say con-i-fur). Coniferneedles can be long or short, and stiff orflexible. If the leaves are flat and broad likethe bottom picture on the right, you’vechosen a deciduous (say de-sid-you-us)tree. Deciduous leaves come in all sizes andshapes!

Draw your tree on a piece of paper, usingcrayons, markers, or pencils. Write the nameof your tree on the picture, too. Gently takea leaf or needle from the tree’s branch andglue it to your picture. Hang your picture inyour room or keep it in a safe place withyour TreeTop book.

Do its leaves look like this?

or like this?

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CHAPTER 2: Flows andGoes in the Forest

Water CyclesWater is sometimes called the most impor-tant substance in the world. But why is it?Well, it’s very important to animals andplants (remember what plants need to maketheir food), and it makes up much of theatmosphere, the layer of gases that sur-round and protect our planet. In fact, withoutwater there could be no life on Earth. Thinkabout it. What would you drink if you didn’thave water? Milk? Noooooooooo! Milkcomes from cows. Cows eat hay. Hay needsWATER to grow. Sorry!

Okay, what else would you drink? Sodapop? Nope! Soda pop is made from carbon-ated WATER! How about juice? Wrong!Juice is mostly WATER. Orange trees needWATER.

Are you getting thirsty yet? Face it! WENEED WATER! And so does the forest andall the living plants and animals! Withoutwater, we’re all dried up!

Where does water come from? Take a guess.

Mark an “X” on the box for each picture that you think gives us water.

rain snow oceans clouds puddles

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We can’t make new water. That’s

why we need to keep our water

clean. Remember, the water you

drink today was here before you

were born. And it will be here

when your children turn 90. And

when their children turn 90.

If you have an “X” in all the boxes on the

last page you are...right! We get water in theform of rain and snow from clouds. But howdo we get water from oceans and puddles?

Well, water in oceans and puddlesevaporates (say ee-vap-o-rates) into theair. This means that tiny water drops arepulled into the sky by sun energy. Thinkabout it, then try this:

So where does water go when it gets into theair? It forms...clouds! Right! And then whathappens? It rains or snows! Water is usedover and over and over again. In fact, we’restill using the same water that dinosaurs used.(Yech! I hope a Tyrannosaurus Rex didn’tbrush his teeth in your bath water!)

On a hot, sunny day, put each of the following things on the sidewalk:

cherries a popsicle an ice cube a cookie a rock

See how long it takes for each of these things to melt. You can use a watch to keeptime. Do all these things melt or change? Which ones change? Where does the waterin these things go—into the sidewalk or into the air? Come back in a few hours. Nowwhere did the puddles go? (Answers on page 51.)

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In the forest, water goes round and round, like this:

Watergoes up from puddles, lakes, and even

from drops on leaves. Then it makes clouds.Water comes down as rain, snow, and hail.Sometimes water soaks into the ground.

Sometimes it runs over the ground toget to a lake or stream.

This process is called a cycle, because it goes round and round!

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To REALLY show yourself that everythingyou drink is made from water, try this.Open your refrigerator.

Now, what about the things you didn’t list?For example, ketchup doesn’t say “water”on the label. But look again. You’ll see theword “vinegar.” If you have vinegar, youcan check that label and see “diluted withwater.” Yikes. So ketchup has water in itafter all! Write “ketchup” on your list.

Write down all the things in your refrigerator that have water in them.

Fun Things to Do . . .Take out everything you could drink.Ketchup, pickle juice...everything. Thenlook on the labels. Read to see if the word“water” is listed anywhere.

Keep searching for the water in all the thingsyou didn’t list. Remember that juice (fromapples or oranges) contains water, and appleand orange trees need water to grow. Sowrite juice on your list! If it’s milk, askyourself whether the cow needs water tomake milk. How long is your list now?

Oh...you’d better put all the things backin the refrigerator after you’re done!

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Energy Takes OffDid you ever get really tired during schoolwhen you hadn’t eaten any breakfast? Haveyou sat on the couch before dinner, toosleepy to move? Well, chances are you hadrun out of fuel! You needed to eat somethingto get going again! You needed energy.

Trees and forest animals need energy, too.Trees, like other green plants, get their en-ergy from the sun. They use the sun’s energyto make food. Animals get energy fromeating trees and plants, or from eating otheranimals that eat trees and plants.

If water cycles in the forest, does thatmean that sun energy (heat) from the suncycles too?

Noooooooooo! Energy flows one way through a forest, like this:

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A tree uses sun energy to make sugar. Thissugar helps the tree grow leaves. The leaves,now food energy, are eaten by animals. Otheranimals will eat these animals. The foodenergy gets passed from animal to animal.

Some of the food energy escapes to the air,because it takes work (and heat) to chew andchase food! But the energy in animalsdoesn’t cycle back to the tree. It flows oneway through a forest.

In the drawing below, help the energy get to the person at the end.Start at the sun.(Answer on page 51.)

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Supermarket in the SoilDid you ever go shopping in a pile of dirt?Did you ever push a cart through some mud,looking for something to eat? Maybe youhaven’t, but other creatures find lots to eat inthe soil! The ground below your feet has lotsof nutrients.

But how does the black, brown, red, andyellow soil get on the ground? It doesn’tcome from the clouds. (Have you ever seenit raining mudballs?) It doesn’t come from abig dump truck. Some parts of soil are madewhen plants and animals die. The deadplants and animals are broken down bybreakers (decomposers). Soil also is madeby the wind and water wearing rocks intotiny pieces. This takes a long, long time.

The Lowdown on SoilTry this. Go outside and collect two spoon-fuls of soil from three different places. (Sci-entists would call the soil from each locationa sample.) For example, you may dig forsoil under a tree, near some water, or under alawn. Bring the soil samples inside withoutmixing them. Now, take some from yourfirst sample. Using your thumb, rub the soilinto the first box below.

Now rub soil from your second spoonfulinto the second box. Finally, rub some of thethird sample into the third box. Be sure towrite down the place you took your samplesfrom under the boxes provided. Okay! Whatcolors are the soil samples? Why might thesamples be different in color?

Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3

Use this color key:Black: Rich soil with lots of dead animals and plants

Brown: Average soilRed: Clay soil with iron

Yellow: Clay soil with few nutrientsLight Brown and Gritty: Sandy soil

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PROJECT 1. Look for critters inthe litter!You’ll need:• a large paper bag• newspapers• a small jar or box-type hand lens• a pencil or tweezers• crayons, markers, or colored pencils• art paper• poster board• glue

Go to an area with many trees, like a park orforest. Using your hands, gather some leaflitter. Leaf litter is the top layer of the soil.It sometimes is wet and muddy. It containsleaves, sticks, soil, and other small treeparts. Scoop up a paper bag full of leaf litter.

At home (in a garage or backyard), dumpsome leaf litter onto newspaper. Carefullylook through the litter for these creatures:

You’ll need patience! It takes time to findthese little critters. When you find one,carefully lift it from the litter using a pencilor tweezers. Put it into a jar or box-typehand lens. Look at it carefully. Does it havelegs? An antenna? A tail? What color is it?Draw a picture of your creature on paper.

Keep looking through the litter and drawingpictures of the insects and spiders you find.When you are done, take the litter backwhere you found it if possible. Glue yourpictures of the insects and spiders onto aposter board. Write “Living Creatures of theLeaf Litter” or another title on your board.

You may want to use a book about insectsto help you identify what you have found.If you do, write the type of insect/spider onyour poster.

centipede springtail spider mites earthworm

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cup. Water the seed. Keep the cups inside abuilding near a sunny window. Watch for theseeds to sprout (come out of the soil). You’llhave to check your plants every day. When aseed sprouts, write the date that it sproutedon the cup. (Remember to water your plantsto keep them moist.)

Grow your plants for three weeks. Is there abig difference in size among the plants?Which plant is the biggest? Do they all lookgreen and healthy?

The biggest bean plant probably grew inthe best soil. The best soil had the mostnutrients to help the plant grow big.

Put your plants in a display box, or takephotos of the plants for use on a posterexhibit. Tell others what you’ve learnedabout soil and nutrients.

PROJECT 2. Find the best soil forbeans!You’ll need:• some lima bean seeds• four paper cups• soil from four different areas• spoon to dig up soil• markers• a cardboard box• glue

Dig soil from four different places. You canget some from under a log. You can digsome soil from near the street. Anywhere!Just be sure to keep your four samplesseparated. You need enough soil to fill thepaper cup almost to the top.

Using a marker, write where you got thesoil on each cup. Then, plant a seed in each

“TreeTime!”

(Refer to the tree you selected in“TreeTime!” in Chapter 1.)Shake hands with your tree! Are theleaves on your tree shaped like yourhand? Let’s find out! Draw yourhand in the box at the right or on asheet of paper. Now place your leafunderneath the same paper. Peel thepaper off a crayon. Lay the crayonon its side. Now gently rub thecrayon on the paper covering theleaf. You should get a picture of aleaf. Well, is the leaf like your hand?Some leaves, like maples, look a lotlike hands! White pine leaves areneedles, but their needles are inbundles of five—just like there arefive fingers on a hand!

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CHAPTER 3: I Need You,You Need Me

It’s Alive!Sometimes, when you walk through a forest,it seems as if everything is alive. Treebranches sway and creak in the wind. Brightred mushrooms grow on fallen logs. Crick-ets hum. Slugs slide. Porcupines hide in thetops of trees.

But surprise! In a forest, not everything isalive. Water gurgles, but it is not alive.Rocks get in your shoes, but they are notalive. Soil can be squeezed and mixed withwater to make a mess, but it is not alive.Air is all around you, but it is not alive.

Living things depend on other living things.But they also depend on nonliving itemssuch as air, water, and soil. In a forest,everything needs something else.

What do you need in your habitat? (A habitat is a home—the place or placeswhere you get the things you need to live.)

Draw one living thing that you need inyour habitat.

Now draw one nonliving thing thatyou need.

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Breakfast With BenOnce there was a boy named Ben. Ben lovedbreakfast. Sometimes he would get up at3:00 a.m. because he was hungry. Ben likedScootie-Os best of all for breakfast. He likedto splash orange juice on his cereal.

One day Ben’s sister Ellie asked him wherehis breakfast came from. “Well,” said Ben,“from the store, of course.”

“What?” said Ellie.

“From the store, of course,” repeated Ben.

“No, silly,” said Ellie. “Those Scootie-Oscame from oats. Oat plants grow in the soil.So you got your cereal from a plant thatgrew in the ground.”

Ben thought about that for a minute.Hmm...if he got his Scootie-Os from a plant,where did his orange juice come from?

“I know where I got my orange juice,” saidBen brightly. “From a big truck in Florida!”

“What?” said Ellie. “Try again.”

Without even thinking about it, Ben hasbecome part of a food chain. Just by eatingbreakfast! Ben (and you!) depend on otherliving things, like oats and orange trees,for food.

Where do you really think Ben got his orange juice? Circle your answer.(Answer on last page.)

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Forest Food ChainsWhat happens in the forest? Are there food chains in the forest?

Some chains can be long.Let’s look at a hungry hawk.

Most forest food chains cross over each other. They begin to look like a spider web.When they do this, they are called a food web.

Hmm...let’s look atsnack time with a bear.

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A Special Role for EverythingHow many fingers do you have on one hand?Five? Two? Thirteen? How many fingers doesa star-nosed mole have? Six? Two? Eleven?What about your nose? Do you have one ortwo? Is it long or short?

You aren’t the same as a star-nosed mole,are you? Well, maybe you do the samethings. Let’s see. Do you spend a lot of timelooking near rivers for worms? Do yougobble small fish whole? Do you store fat inyour tail for the winter?

Noooooooooo! Okay, do you...eat cottoncandy at fairs? Skin your knees when youskateboard? Break the crayons when youcolor? Maybe! Do you eat peanut butter,pears, and pizza? Or do you eat minnows,mosquitoes, and moths?

Well, it’s pretty obvious that you aren’t thesame as a star-nosed mole. You are different,and special. You are unique. The star-nosedmole is unique, too. Both of you have im-portant jobs to do on Earth. You each haveyour own roles to fill.

You do special things. You live in a specialplace (your home)! You look different thananyone else (unless you have a twin)! So doanimals and plants. They all have their ownspecial roles to fill on Earth.

Samstar-nosed mole

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Collect nonliving things from a forest,park, or even your backyard. Try to findnonliving things that are:

• gray and smooth

• brown and long (might be sharp)

• brown and blown by the wind

• white and cold

(but only in the winter)

• gray or brown and tickle your nose

PROJECT 1. Make a foresttouch box.You’ll need a shoebox. Cut a hole bigenough for a hand to fit through on one sideof the shoebox. (An adult can help you withthis.) Now collect some items from thewoods or a park that have special shapes ortextures. A stone is smooth and flat. A pine

You know that you are special and fill aunique role. Draw a picture of yourfamily. Write below each person the specialrole they fill. Show them your picture. Thendraw a picture of the special role you’ll playwhen you are an adult. Will you be a mathteacher? Will you be a biologist who studieswetlands? Will you be a forester who caresfor forests? Will you fix huge computersor leaky faucets? Will you write books?Draw it!



cone is round and sometimes prickly. Afteryou have found about eight items, glue themto the shoebox floor. Then paint or coveryour box with colored paper, and write For-est Touch Box on the top. People should beable to put their hand into your forest touchbox and feel the different things. Then theywill have to guess what they are touching!

Make Your Own ForestCarefully color your forest with markers,colored pencils, or crayons. Cut around eachpiece of your forest on the dotted lines. Next,fold them on the solid lines so your forest canstand up. You may need an adult to show youhow to do this.

What kind of forest have you made? Is this adeciduous or coniferous forest? What seasonis it in your pictures? Now it’s time to set yourpictures up on display for everyone to see.

FOLD BACK

CU

T H

ER

E

FRONT VIEW SIDE VIEW

EXAMPLE

FO

LD

FOLD BACK

FO

LD

FOLD BACK

FO

LD

BA

CK

FO

LD

BA

CK

FOLD BACKFOLD BACK

FO

LD

BA

CK

FO

LD

BA

CK

FO

LD

BA

CK

FOLD BACKFOLD BACK

FOLD BACKFOLD BACK

27

PROJECT 2. Make a bird feeder.Below are two easy kinds to make. Be sureto watch and see what kinds of birds use thefeeder. You’ll probably have to make anotherpeanut feeder to use as an exhibit or roundup

project. You can just refill the log feederwith fat, or suet, and seeds to reuse it. Besure to share your knowledge about the birdsthat visited.

With help from an adult, drill someholes in a log or piece of firewood(it should have bark). Fill the holeswith a mixture of bacon grease andsunflower seeds or other nuts. Hangthe feeder from a tree limb, or placein a safe location on the ground(where cats, dogs, or other animalswon’t bother it), and watch for birds.

Using a strong needle and strongthread, sew some peanuts together.Hang them from a tree, outside awindow, or on a porch. Watch thefinches come in for a landing!

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“TreeTime!”

(Refer to the tree you selected in“TreeTime!” in Chapter 1.)

Does your special tree give food and coverto animals? Sit quietly as long as you canabout 20 feet from your tree. Be very quietand don’t move around. What types of ani-mals visit the tree? Now get closer to yourtree. Take a spoon and dig a small, cup-sizehole next to your tree. Are there earth-worms? Beetles? Other insects? Look on thetree trunk. Do you see any caterpillars orbugs? How about on the leaves? Do you seeany insects chewing holes? Have the bark orthe branches been eaten by a larger animal?Are there any cavities in your tree? If so,watch your tree again at different times ofthe day. You might be lucky and spot theanimal using the cavity.

CLUES OF ANIMAL USE

acorn bymouse

bark byporcupine

cone bysquirrel

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CHAPTER 4: DifferentTrees, Different Forests

Forests on thePlanet EarthLook around you. Are you alone? Are thereother people in the room?

Do you have brothers or sisters? Aunts oruncles? Friends? Are any of these people thesame as you? Do they look the same? Dressthe same? Talk the same?

Probably not. Everyone is a little bitdifferent. Everyone is special and fills aunique role.

Animals and plants are special. Raccoonsand owls have a unique role in the forest.Shrubs and ferns have a special place, too.There are many types of animals and plantsliving in the forest.

Have you ever been to a forest? If you have,make a mark in the boxes below for thethings you’ve seen.

I saw these things in a forest:

trees withneedles

rabbits eatinghot dogs

puddles withinsects on thetop

birds ridingbicycles

seeds thatstuck to myclothes

ants wearingearmuffs

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You probably didn’t see rabbits eating hotdogs or birds riding bicycles. And antsdon’t wear earmuffs! The forest that youremember is like many other forests. Butthere are far-away forests that don’t lookANYTHING like the one you remember!

Different forests have different plants andanimals. Some forests have trees that need alot of rain. Some forests have trees that needcool moisture or hot winds. Animals also livein forests that suit them best. Pandas musthave forests where they can find bamboo.Black bears prefer cool forests where they canfind berries and rotten logs with tasty insects.

Who lives here? Draw a line from each plant or animal to the place it belongs.(Answers on page 51.)

BEAR WOOD DUCK RUFFED GROUSE

Forest A

RED-WINGEDBLACKBIRD RED OAK CATTAIL

Forest B

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A Million Billion Bugs

But why is it important to have many kindsof plants and animals? Why is it importantto have many types of forests? Well, becausenature is more stable when there are manykinds of animals and plants.

It is very important to have many differenttypes of plants and animals in the world.We need to see to it that all types of birds,animals, and plants survive. The best way todo this is to protect animal and plant habitat!

KEY1. Bacteria2. Fungi3. Algae4. Plants5. Protozoa6. Sponges7. Jellyfish8. Flatworms9. Roundworms

10. Earthworms11. Mollusks12. Starfish13. Insects14. Spiders15. Fish16. Amphibians17. Reptiles18. Birds19. Mammals

In this picture, the bigger the item, the more types are in its family!Insects have the most types on Earth. Spiders aren’t far behind.There are also many kinds of plants and fungi.

ADAPTED FROM AN E. O. WILSON ILLUSTRATION

Did you know that there are more kinds ofinsects than kinds of any other living thing?More types of beetles and gnats than bearsand cats? Insects are the clear winner in theMost Kinds Of Things Race.

32

All Forests AreSpecial...But Not All Arethe SameThere are many types of forests in the world.Some forests are on mountainsides, some arein swamps, and others are near the sea. Someforests are very dry and cold; others are hotand humid. The forests in the northeasternUnited States are called “temperate” forests.Temperate forests receive about 40 to 44inches of rain each year, and they have a hotand a cold season. We call our hot season“summer” and our cold season “winter.”

There’s another type of forest that you’veprobably heard about or maybe even seen onTV. It’s called the tropical rainforest. Tropicalrainforests are found near the equator, andthey receive lots of rain. That’s how they gottheir name! Over 100 inches of rain fall intropical rainforests each year. Tropicalrainforests are home to many interestingtrees, plants, insects, and animals. Tropicalrainforests have more types of plant andanimal species than are usually found in ourtemperate forests. The tropical rainforests inCentral and South America are also the win-ter homes for many of the birds that live inour temperate forests in the summer. Peopleare concerned about losing rainforests andare working to protect them. Rainforests arethreatened as people cut them to clear theland to grow food and raise animals.

While all forests have a lot incommon, tropical rainforestsand our temperate forestshave a lot of differences, too.Our forests are not in dangerof being cleared or cut downto grow food and raise ani-mals, but sometimes they arecut down for buildings ordevelopments. Often ourforests are managed to pro-vide wildlife habitat, water,recreation, and wood prod-ucts continuously. We havemore temperate forests todayin the northeastern UnitedStates than we’ve had for along time. It’s hard to believe,but it’s true! All forests arenot alike and what’s true inone forest might not be truein another. But one thing istrue of all forests—they areall special places!

33

Color this tropical rainforest. Be sure to use bright colors for the insects and otheranimals! How is this forest differentfrom any you’ve seen?

34

ELMS IN TROUBLE

The American elm was once a

popular tree in towns. A sickness,

called Dutch Elm Disease, came to

the United States. The disease

made many elms die. Soon many

people didn’t have any shade left in

their yards.

Play Forest Scavenger Hunt. You may want to do this with friends. The first one to findthe following things in a forest wins.


a brown pinecone

a seed with wings

a feather

bug spittle on atwig

something thatmatches the colorof your shirt

something thatsmells good

an acorn with acap

a leaf with bumpsor holes

a caterpillar withlines on its back

a rock with twocolors

something thatsticks to you

The disease killed so many trees

because people made it easy. They

had planted too many elms. The

disease didn’t have to go far to

make another elm sick. If people

had planted other kinds of trees,

too, they might still have shade in

their yards.

35


PROJECT 2. Find items from thewoods.Did you know that a forest gives us lots ofthings that we use every day? We get wood,chemicals, and food from the forest. Forexample, this book is made from wood. Youmay use artificial vanilla when you makecookies. This vanilla comes from trees!Maple syrup, pecans, and walnuts all comefrom forest trees.

Try to find the things in your house that aremade from trees. Some will be obvious—like a bed, table, or chair. Some will beharder, like Ping-Pong balls and cerealboxes. An adult can help you.

Take photos of all the things in your housethat are made from trees. Put the pictures ina photo album for your project.

PROJECT 1. Make an alphabetboard.You know that there are many differentthings in the forest. Try to show how manythings there are by making an alphabetboard. You might need help from an adult tofinish this project.

Go to a place where there are trees. Collectthings that begin with the letter A, then B,then C, and so on. You might find an acornfor A. You might find a birch leaf for B. Tryto find an object or item for at least 20 of theletters of the alphabet. Attach an example ofit to your board or draw a picture of it. Usetape or quick-drying glue to attach the itemsto a poster board. Be sure to write the letter(A, B, C, etc.) in large print by the object aswell as what the item is.

Can you find all 26 letters? You might needsome help for letters like X and Z.

Sample poster board:

A = acorn

B = bark

C = cone

D = dragonfly

E = eggshell

F–Z (find your own)

36

“TreeTime!”


How is your tree like other trees around it?Is it the same kind of tree? Is it different?Is it part of a forest or a park?

Look around until you find a tree that is thesame kind as your tree. How did you figureout they were the same (did you look atleaves, bark, tree shape, or seeds)?

Watch your tree in the winter. If it is decidu-ous, it will lose its leaves. How could youfind a tree like yours in the winter when theleaves are gone? It’s harder, but you can stillget clues from the bark. Try this. Peel thepaper from a crayon. Lay a piece of art orthin paper against the bark of your tree. Rubthe crayon over the paper. You are making abark rubbing!

Now try to make a bark rubbing of anothertree that you think is the same kind. Do theylook the same? Make a bark rubbing of adifferent kind of tree. Does the bark rubbinglook different from the bark rubbing ofyour tree?

bark rubbing of a cedar tree

37

CHAPTER 5: Change inthe Wind

STOP!Stay Where You Are!Forests change. Sometimes a fire will burnall the trees. Sometimes people harvest thetrees for wood. Hurricanes, tornadoes, oreven a volcano can knock all the trees down.But does the forest die?

Well, no. The trees that were there beforeare gone. But new trees grow back. Thesemay be new seedlings that grow from seedsthat were on the forest floor. Or they may besprouts that grow from roots or stumps leftbehind. Other plants, insects, and animalscome back, too.

Trees are renewable (say ree-new-a-bul).That means more can be grown again. If afire burns a forest, new trees grow backagain. It seems like it takes a long time for atree to grow. But does it really?

Max vs. the Maple

Height in

feet

3 years 10 years 30 years 70 years

11

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

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When people cut down trees,

it’s called harvesting. But people

aren’t the only thing that removes

trees from the forest. Nature is

busy, too, with hurricanes,

windstorms, and fire. Not all fires

are set by nature. People set

fires, too.

Trees usually grow faster than people.

Still, many people don’t like to look at aharvested or burned forest. Do you? Aburned forest doesn’t look green. It looksbare for awhile. In a few years, trees, bushes,and other plants grow. Some forests arereally old. If they are harvested, they maynot look the same for hundreds of years.

People and nature change forests. In eithercase, forests often have to start over.

Starting OverDo you like the sun? Or do you sit in theshade when you’re outside?

Well, if you enjoy the sun, you are like anaspen tree. We say an aspen is sun loving.It grows faster than almost any other kind oftree when it has sunlight.

If you enjoy the shade, you are like anEastern hemlock tree. An Easternhemlock doesn’t need a sunny spot. It oftengrows best in the shade of other trees. Wesay it is shade tolerant.

39

Now try to solve this:

Which tree would grow faster on a site where the trees had been harvested?Sun-loving aspen or shade-tolerant Eastern hemlock? (Answer on page 51.)

When a forest changes, the change is called succession (say suk-sesh-un). Trees and otherplants grow and change how the forest looks over time. We can’t stop forests from changing.

sun-loving aspen shade-tolerant Eastern hemlock

40

Can you put this aspenforest in order?

What happened first?

Write “1” for the scenethat happened first, “2”for the scene thathappened second, and“3” for the one thathappened third.

(Answers on page 51.)

Forest A is: #

Forest B is: #

Forest C is: #

People often cause forests to start over. Theyharvest trees from forests. But why do weneed to harvest trees?

Well, we use the wood and other things thata tree gives. You know that paper and lum-ber come from the forest, right? Okay. Howabout Ping-Pong balls? Car tires? Pencils?Money? Even fiber in breakfast cereal? Allof these things are made from parts of a tree.If we decide not to use trees, then we have

to find new ways to make the things weneed or enjoy.

If we choose to make the things we needfrom steel, plastic, or cement we aremaking them out of what are callednonrenewable materials, because wecannot grow more of these. Wood products,however, are made from a renewablematerial. This is because forests can growover and over again to provide wood for theproducts that we need and enjoy.

Forest A

Forest B

Forest C

41

Growing the ForestAgainSun-loving trees and plants pop up on landthat is cleared. But where do they come from?

young aspen white pinecone young white pine

Young aspen trees often grow from the rootsof the parent tree. They “sucker” out of theground. They can grow to be six feet tall inone year! Other young aspen trees growfrom very small seeds.

White pine trees come from pinecones.Pinecones hold the seeds that start new trees.

Every year, people plant lots of trees. Haveyou ever planted a tree in your yard? It’simportant! But we also need to take care ofthe trees we already have.

In some cities, four trees die for every onethat is planted! Yikes! We need to plant andtake care of trees in our communities too!

42

All animals have four basic needs

in their habitat. Animals need food,

water, shelter, and space. Could

you live without a place (your

shelter) to keep you dry and warm?

Could you exist without food (like

pizza and hot dogs)? Do you need

water to drink? Do you need some

space to live in, or would you like

to share your room with a family of

eight skunks?

During the day, you roam to different places.You leave your bedroom to go to the kitchen.You leave your house to go to the play-ground. Perhaps you go to school. Or thenearest pool. Maybe you go to visit a friend.You find and meet your needs in all of thesedifferent places. This is your habitat!

Animal Habits andHabitatsSome animals like the forest best when it isstarting over. Some animals only like veryold forests. Many animals use more than onetype and age of forest.

Think about it. Do you spend ALL of yourtime in your bedroom? Do you spend everywaking moment in the kitchen? What if youweren’t allowed to leave your school?!

43

Look for sun-loving and shade-tolerant plants and trees in yourbackyard. Fill in the chart below.

See how many sun-loving and shade-tolerant plants you can find.Write the name for each plant or tree you find.


You could also put your experiment in acardboard box. You could glue the cupsinto the box. You might need help from anadult. Be sure to write the kind of tree nextto the cup.

PROJECT 2. Collect leaves fromsun-loving and shade-toleranttrees.Divide them into the two groups. Glue theleaves onto a poster board in their groups.Write the kind of tree under the leaf.


sun loving shade tolerant

PROJECT 1. How does theforest grow?Do this experiment in February or March.With help from an adult, cut a live twig fromfive different trees. Put each twig in its ownpaper cup of water right away. Watch thetwigs over the next week. What happens to thebuds on each twig? Do they open into leaves?

Take pictures of your experiment. Glue ortape the pictures to a poster board. Write thekind of tree underneath the picture (aspen,oak, etc.).

44

PROJECT 3. Find renewable andnonrenewable items.You know that trees are renewable. Thatmeans that if harvested, more trees can growand replace them again. Other things growagain, too (like corn and cattails). Some thingswon’t grow again (like oil, water, or plastic).

Use a cardboard box to make a display ofitems made from renewable and nonrenew-able materials. Glue the items onto theinside of the box. Be sure to explain whysomething is renewable. Also explain whyanother thing is not renewable.

“TreeTime!”


Decide if your tree is sun loving or shadetolerant. Here are some leaves of commonsun-loving and shade-tolerant trees.

You know, just because a tree is growing inthe shade doesn’t mean it’s shade tolerant.Many people plant sun-loving trees in theshady sections of their yards. These treeswould grow better in a sunny location. Usethe Kids Cards in this book to find outabout some common trees near your home.If you need more help, ask an adult.

Easternhemlock

basswood

sugar maple

Easternwhite pine

aspen

black birch

SUN LOVING

SHADE TOLERANT

45

Kids Cards!Cut out and use these cards. Color themif you like! They are like name cards fortrees. They will help you get to knowsome beautiful trees! Show the leaf sideto your friends and see if they can guessthe tree names, or study them and quizyourself!

46

WHITE OAK

This tree producesacorns and its leaveshave rounded, bumpyedges. Its bark ispale and flaky grayand it can live forhundreds of years!

SUGAR MAPLE

In the fall, this treeturns a golden ororange color. In thespring, it gives ussap to make maplesyrup. Its leaf is sobeautiful that it’seven on Canada’snational flag!

EASTERNWHITE PINE

This tree is a giant ofthe forest. It lookssoft from a distance.Like the fingers onyour hand, it has fiveneedles in each leafbundle.

means this tree issun loving

means this tree isshade tolerant

means this tree likesboth sun and shade

SASSAFRAS

The leaves of sassafrascan be different on thesame tree. Some areshaped like mittens,others like a mitten withtwo thumbs, and othersare shaped liked a foot-ball with pointed ends!

RED PINE

Red pine has leavesthat are two needlesbundled together. Itsneedles snap whenthey are bent. Oftenit has been planted ingroups with manyother red pines.

48

ASPEN

Aspen can grownew young treesfrom its roots. Itsleaves quake orflutter in the windand sound likerain. Its bark isgreenish white.

BLACK CHERRY

The bark of this treeis dark and smoothwhen it is young.When it is old, itsbark looks like black-ish, burned cornflakes. Its wood isvaluable for furniture.

WHITE ASH

White ash bark has ridgeswhich form shapes thatlook like lots of longdiamonds. Its leaves arecalled “compound”because each leaf hasseven smaller leafletsthat look like leavesthemselves.

BASSWOOD

Basswood leavesare heart shaped.In the winter, it hasbright red buds onthe tip of its twigs.Its other name isAmerican linden.

FLOWERINGDOGWOOD

This tree is known for itswhite springtime blossoms.Though it is a forest tree,many people plant itin their yards. Itsbright red fruits areeaten by birds.

RED OAK

This is a tall andstraight tree in theforest. It produceslots of acorns forturkeys and squir-rels to eat. The tipson its leaves arepointed.

50

WEEPINGWILLOW

Weeping willowbranches sweep downto the ground. Manytimes you’ll findthese trees near water.They are oftenplanted in yards.

GINKGOBILOBA

This is one of theoldest types oftrees on earth! Ithas graceful, fan-shaped leaves. Thistree often lives oncity streets.

AMERICAN ELM

This tree was the “rulerof the streets.” It grewtall and shaded manyyards and roadsides.Many American elmshave died from DutchElm Disease in the past60 years.

BLACK BIRCH

Black birch bark isblack and smoothwith horizontal lines(called lenticels) on it.Its leaves and twigshave an oil that smellslike wintergreeninside of them.

APPLE

This tree often grows inabandoned farm fieldsor orchards. It generallyproduces apples on itsbranches in the fall.When animals eat thesefruits, they spread appleseeds far and wide intheir droppings.

EASTERNHEMLOCK

This tree likesstreamsides. Each ofits needles is on atiny stalk. Easternhemlock bark wasonce an importantsource of chemicalsfor tanning leather.

51

ANSWERSPage 18:CHAPTER 1

Page 6: Line A=leaves, line B=branches,line C=trunk, line D=roots

Page 8:

Page 9: ALL of these animals use deadtrees and logs in one way or another!

CHAPTER 2Page 14: The popsicle and ice cube shouldchange. They will melt. Then they willbecome puddles. Then they will evaporate.The cherries might become shriveled or abird might eat them.

If the cookie is gone, maybe your dog or asquirrel ate it!

CHAPTER 3Page 23: Circle the orange tree.

CHAPTER 4Page 30:Forest A—cattail, red-winged blackbird,

wood duckForest B—black bear, red oak,

ruffed grouse

CHAPTER 5Page 39: The sun-loving aspen is the firstto grow.

Page 40: Forest scene B is first, Forestscene A is second, Forest scene C is third.

52

Notes

4-H ACTIVITIES REPORTThis report will help you keep a better record of your club activities. Fill it in as you complete each assignment. Refer to thisrecord when you are entering county, state, and national programs. Ask your local leader to explain these programs to you.

My 4-H Activities Report for the 19 ———— Club Year

Projects taken _______________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Offices held _________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Club_______________________________________________

County_____________________________________________

“Show-and-tells” given to

Family ________________________________________

Friends _______________________________________

Local club _____________________________________

County _______________________________________

Regional ______________________________________

State _________________________________________

News articles __________________________________

Radio ________________________________________

TV ___________________________________________

Things done to improve my health __________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Community service or citizenship work done

By myself _____________________________________

With club ______________________________________

Number of meetings my club(s) held this year ________

Number I attended ______________________________

Number of new members I encouraged to join 4-H _____

Number of boys and girls I helped with projects _______

In what way? ___________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Check those attended and tell how you helped

________ 3- or 4-day camp

________ 1-day camp

________ Club or county tours

________ Club picnic

________ Countywide picnic

________ 4-H Sunday

________ County fair

________ Achievement programs

________ Roundup

________ Teen Leader Retreat

________ State 4-H Capital Days

________ Camp Leadership Training

________ Penn State 4-H Achievement Days

________ Pennsylvania Farm Show

________ National 4-H Week

________ State Ambassador Conference

________ Judging training

Others:

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

College of Agricultural SciencesCooperative Extension

Name______________________________________________________

Address ____________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

Name of club ________________________________________________

Leader’s name ______________________________________________

4-H Club Motto

“To make the best better”

4-H Club Pledge

I pledge

my head to clearer thinking,

my heart to greater loyalty,

my hands to larger service, and

my health to better living, for

my club,

my community,

my country, and

my world.

4-H Club Colors

Green and White

18 U.S.C. 707

re e ee t toop - ecosystems.psu.edu

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