Study Wood

Age of the tree determine by the
cross cut showing annual rings
in the tree trunk.

       In  dicotyledons,  or  exogenous  plants,  the  stem  consists  of  the  bark,  the cambium  layer,  the  wood,  and  the  pith.  The  cambium  layer  gives  rise  to  a layer  of  wood,  which  is  deposited  next  the  old  wood,  a  layer  of  bark  deposited next  to  the  bark,  and  a  new  cambium  layer.  The  layer  of  wood  deposited grows  hard  during  the  winter,  and  so  forms  quite  a  distinct  ring  from  the  next layer  of  wood,  which  is  deposited  on  the  outside  of  it. 

Required for Observation in The Classroom: A few blocks cut from the branch of a tree - varying in diameter. One end of each may be smoothed and varnished, if necessary , to show the rings better. Also some young twigs containing much pitch.

Method of Student Observation:

• Point out the bark, wood, and pith, in the sections of a branch.
• Show that wood is tough and fibrous, and that pith is soft and devoid of fibers.
• Show the pith rays running from the center of the wood.
• Show the rings of wood in sections of different  sizes. 
• Count the rings in each. 
• Show that a young twig has only one or two rings of wood.
  

How to Grade Study Notes For Student Journals: Every student will need a journal to write in weekly for this online nature study series. Teacher will assign the weekly content in advance.

• Make sure the facts are: written in complete sentences, the first word of each sentence capitalized, and a period should be included at the end of each sentence.
• Spell check your vocabulary and write the words correctly.
• Dress up your journal entries with student clip art, drawings of your own in color or in black and white.
• Student may also include photographs of their own taking for extra credit.

Look for the following facts about wood inside of student journals. Assign a point value to the quality of the content.

• The parts of a log - bark outside. protective, sometimes very rough, sometimes smooth.
• Wood - forms greater part of the log. fiberous
• Pith - In the center, soft, no fibers. Rays from pith run in all directions.
• How tree grows - The wood is formed in rings. A very young twig has only one ring of wood. Each summer a new ring of wood is formed outside the older wood, and underneath the bark. The bark is then pushed outward year by year, and the age of the tree may be calculated by counting the rings.
  

Video at Youtube for Students to Watch:

1. Materials of a Tree Structure by Kayla Bergeson
2. How Tree Works, tree physiology by Family Plot Garden

Left, wooden rounds. Right, sculpted honeycomb.

Photo of table and chairs set up in
the garden ready for the fairy feast.

Craft a Fairy Feast for The Garden: For this wooden craft you will need the following supplies: wood glue, sliced wooden rounds, acorn shells and caps, Sculpey, acrylic paint (puff paint optional) and pretend or real garden flower clippings.

        Details above show wooden slices stacked and glued together to make the simple fairy dining furnishings and also the Sculpey shaped honeycomb prior to painting.
       The table is set for a Fall meal of dew drop wine and crusty honeycomb. Leaves make the table covering and a large acorn ''bowl'' displays a toadstool, small berries and a delicate orange flower. The acorn cup goblets are filled with dew drop (hot glue) and the honey comb is made from Sculpey hardened in an oven and painted with puff paints. There is also a small faux apple the size of a crab apple in this case for fairies on the table. Each fairy has a stool made from smaller wooden slices glued together in a short stack.

 

Left, the table and stools were made by gluing and stacking wooden rounds.
The far right, details of honey comb and dew drop wine, some of our fairy's
favorite foods for fall.

More About Fairies in The Woods:

• The Rainbow Story by  E. Antionette Luques
• The Valleys Where The Shamrocks Grow by Charles Cashel Connolly
  
• The Rainbow Land by Bertha Carman Herbst
• The Land of Fairy Tales 
• Rainbows by Dixie Willson
  
• The Mermaid Poem by Tennyson
• Have You Seen Them?
• The Good Night by John Martin

Free Student Clip Art: Clip art may be printed from a home computer, a classroom computer or from a computer at a library and/or a local printing service provider. This may be done from multiple locations as needed because our education blog is online and available to the general public.

A Log includes: bark outside, wood that is tough
and pith in the center that is softer.