Teacher Guide

The following activities address the National Science Education Standard strand for students in
k-4.

Life Science:
- The characteristics of organisms
- Life cycles of organisms
- Organisms and environments

Activity: Life Cycle of a Pine Tree – Nomenclature/3-part Cards

Materials Needed:
Pine cones
Working cards (word and image separate) cut out and laminated
Control cards (word and image together) cut out and laminated
Control cycle page laminated
Life Cycle of a Pine Tree book or Smart Board presentation

Directions:

To begin this activity allow student to look at and make observations about pine cones if
possible. Ask them to share what they know about pine cones.

Read to the students about the life cycle of a pine tree. Use the following pages to create a
laminated book or use the Smart Board version, life cycle of a pine tree.notebook.

The last page of the book is a circular flow chart showing the life cycle of a pine tree. The first
step is the pine cone. Go over this chart with the students before introducing the nomenclature/3-
part cards.

Students will use the working cards to match each word or phrase to the correct image. The
control cards can help them do this.

The students will then place the working cards in the correct order. The flowchart page of the
book can be laminated to use as a self-check.

Differentiated Versions:

 The youngest students can use two sets of the control cards for a basic matching game.
 As students advance they can use the control cards as a final check only.

Note this activity is featured in my Christmas Activities for Kindergarten and Preschool: O Christmas
Tree. Several additional pine cone activities are found in the packet along with activities for math,
language arts, social studies, practical life, and art.
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Christmas-Activities-for-Kindergarten-and-Preschool-O-
Christmas-Tree
 pinecone seedling

small pine tree adult pine tree

 pinecone seedling

small pine tree adult pine tree

The Life Cycle of a Pine Tree
Have you ever looked closely at a pine cone?
What did you notice about it?

Have you ever wondered why pine cones fall?

Pine cones are made of lots of scales. The scales
are closed on wet pine cones. The scales are
open on dry pine cones.
 Seeds grow at the bottom of the scales. The
scales protect the seeds for almost two years.
Then the pine cone falls off the tree. This means
the seeds are ready to grow into pine trees!
 The wind blows the seeds around.

Animals like squirrels and chipmunks eat the pine

cones. This helps spread the seeds even more.
Some seeds will land in spots with good soil and
water. The seeds will then grow into seedlings.
 The seedlings will become small pine trees.
These small trees do not make pine cones yet.
The small tree will grow into an adult pine tree. It
will make pine cones. These pine cones will fall.
The cycle will continue!
All images are from Wikimedia Commons:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pinus_sylvestris_Marki_5.JPG

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lodgepole_pine_seedlings_Yellowstone.jpg

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Macro_pinecone.jpg

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pine_tree_atop_Signal_Mountain.JPG

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Squirrel_Feeding_on_Pinecone_while_Balancing_on_T
ree_Trunk.jpg

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sapporo_Picea_Abies_Pinecone_1.jpg

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:100_0015pinecone.JPG

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pinecone_in_grass.jpg

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1_Pine_forest_Fallsburg1.jpg