Task 10:

Based on your own observation, compare what happens to coniferous and deciduous trees throughout the seasons? Choose one conifer and one deciduous tree in front of your school or home and observe what happens to them throughout the seasons. Write your observation in your observational record book. After finishing your observation, compare your records to those of your classmates.

Procedure:

The teacher explains the task, the way of completing the observational record book (or prepares a sample of the recording). Given that it is a long-term task, continuous checks and motivation of pupils are essential.

After completion of the task, the whole-class check and an exchange of the findings and oral evaluation of the task are carried out (pupil‘s verbal assessment).

Recommended teaching method/organisational form:

Exploration-based learning method – observing, individual work, group discussion/individualized form, front-individual

Key – example:

Based on pupils’ findings.

It is necessary to take into account that pupils can choose a larch as one of the conifers and then the pupils must be informed about the differences from non-deciduous conifers.

An example of findings:

Budding, beginning of leafing out and blooming, full foliage, forming of fruit, leaf shedding, fruit shedding etc. can be observed on deciduous trees.

Beginning of blooming, growth of new needles, growth of cones, ripening of cones and their opening etc. can be observed on coniferous trees.

Variation:

Observation can be aimed at another features linked to the season (mushrooms, herbs, fruits, etc.).

Gifted pupils (gifted learners, gifted students):

Gifted pupils can organize a talk for younger schoolmates and tell them the results of their observations.

Or they can find out information about unusual types of coniferous and deciduous trees abroad.

SEN pupils (special educational needs):

It is suitable to prepare a structured observational record for SEN pupils, eventually only two of the seasons can be chosen for them. (Spring and summer are best as the differences in trees are more noticeable during the seasons.

(Note: It is necessary to mark the seasons of the year on the right side of the worksheet).