Welcome! What would your world be like without trees? Many trees may grow near your home or you may live in an area where trees few and far between. Either way, it's likely that trees have played an important part in the history of your country. Trees often become the walls of our homes and schools. Sometimes they fuel industries and manufacturing. Most likely trees have inspired people in your land to write poetry and paint works that capture the beauty or importance of your country's trees.

These Trees is a Web-based project designed to help you share what you know about your local trees with a world wide audience. Students from remote areas around the world will post Web pages that illustrate the importance of their local trees. The following page gives instructions you can use to complete the project.

Choosing a Tree to Analyse

Your teacher will help you brainstorm what you already know about trees. After you have done this, you might work together as a class or in smaller groups or pairs for the next activity. Below is a chart that can be printed out or used as a model. Choose a particular tree and fill in the chart the best you can. You might ask local experts like farmers or scientists for their opinions, but understand that trees hold many mysteries and no one knows everything about them. You might ask people about any local stories that involve the tree you're charting.

Sometimes we learn more about something when we compare it to another similar thing. Your teacher will help you compare the tree you charted to others. See what makes your tree like all others and what makes it unique.

Picturing your Trees

A picture's worth a thousand words. This is especially true when people on the other side of the world may have never seen the kind of tree you are describing. Draw a picture or take a photograph of the kind of tree you charted. You can make your drawing scientific or dream-like, just make it capture what you like and think is important about this tree.

Seeing the Poetry in Trees

Many poems have been written inspired by trees. These can be short poems like haiku and cinquain or longer sonnets, tankas or odes. Perhaps your literature has a special kind of poem you could share with the world? Be as creative as you like. You teacher will help you get on how you can express your ideas.

Putting it all Together

Now that you have explored the trees in your area and expressed yourself in art or poetry, it's time to use the Interactive Handout and then send your work on to be posted in the Web. Good work! These trees are our trees and you've added to our appreciation of them.