Kindergarten Understanding by Design Unit

Title of Unit The World of Trees

Time Frame One month

Developed By
Michelle Racine

School Icewind Dale Elementary School

Identify Desired Results (Stage 1)
Domain Areas: Curricular(subject) Areas:
Social – Students will expand their social learning through learning centers that are geared towards collaboration. Makerspaces will
encourage appropriate and expanding play. The teacher will support this by introducing new props, asking open-ended questions, and  Science – Students will discuss trees using appropriate
modeling new roles. Projects will require students to work in groups and communicate in socially appropriate ways, including sharing scientific vocabulary, including crown, roots, trunk,
materials, listening to other’s ideas, and appropriately resolving conflict. Finally, students will develop social responsibility by approaching branches, leaves, veins, and bark. Students will be able to
identify and explain differences between deciduous and
subjects such as environmental awareness and deforestation issues. coniferous trees. Students will use scientific tools such as
Physical – Students will develop fine motor skills by manipulating tools such as scissors, pencils, and playdoh/clay. This will enhance magnifying glasses to examine leaves and their veins as
students’ ability to move objects precisely and develop the small muscles that control the hand. Gross motor skills will be enhanced well as fresh and decayed wood to decide whether trees
through guided movement, dance, and play. This will develop balance, body awareness, and spatial awareness. Students will focus on are living or nonliving things. By examining leaves through
sensorimotor development through experimentation with sensory bins focused on natural items such as rough bark, smooth leaves, wet ice and water, students will note that water can act as a
natural magnifying glass.
and dry sand, and slimy mud. Children will communicate the results of their experimentation through artistic renderings.
 Technology – Students will use technology to record
Language – Students will develop their receptive language skills through the variety of literary resources that will be introduced to the
their findings from various nature walks the class will
class. Additionally, they will acquire new vocabulary about trees and their parts as well as the needs of trees. This will develop their participate in, including videos and photos. Additionally,
sense of expressive language through conversations, mini conferences, and question-and-answer checklists. students will use technology to create graphic organizers
Cognitive – Students will learn temporal concepts (first, last, beginning, end) through discussing the life cycle of trees. Qualitative that denote differences between various tree species.
concepts (color, size, shape) will be shaped by discussing qualitative aspects of trees and their parts. In relation to this, students will be  English Language Arts – Students will demonstrate
introduced to different types of measurement, including height, length, and width. Students will develop their sorting skills, patterns, the ability to organize and communicate their ideas
effectively through conversation with teacher and peers.
counting, letter and number recognition by manipulating natural objects. Students will understand that living things have needs that
Students will also develop prewriting skills by creating
must be met to survive. rubbings of leaves and tracing their outlines and veins.
Aesthetic – Students will develop their concept of beauty, wonder, imagination, and creativity. Through the manipulation of paper, Letter recognition and beginning sounds will be developed
watercolors, playdoh/clay, glue, scissors, and other open-ended materials, students will be able to recognize and respond to basic through the creation of ABC leaf cards using leaves from
elements of art. Students will explore tools and materials thereby developing the ability to respond to and produce aesthetic the playground.
experiences.  Math – Students will continue to develop number
recognition through number match activities. Students will
learn size and color sequencing and matching using natural
materials. Students will advance their counting and early
math skills by manipulating objects such as seeds, flowers,
and twigs. Students will compare different trees to shapes
they know, such as triangles, rectangles, and circles.
 Social Studies – Children will discuss the concepts of
“wants” versus “needs” and how all experiences fall into
either category. Students will also discuss concepts of
protecting trees and forests by reducing, reusing, and
recycling. Through the study of trees in nature, students
will connect with the natural world and reflect on their role
as planetary stewards and caretakers.
 Visual Arts – Students will create artistic diagrams to
express their understanding of how trees live, identifying
important parts such as crown, roots, trunk, bark, leaves,
and veins. Students will use clay to make impressions of
natural materials like leaves and bark.
 Essential Questions Enduring Understandings

Open-ended questions that stimulate thought and inquiry linked to

What do you want students to understand & be able to use several years from now?
the content of the enduring understanding.

What is a tree? At the end of this unit, I aim for students to know the needs required for a tree to grow. Students will understand that a
group of trees makes up a forest and that forests are habitats, home to a variety of plant and animal life. I want students
What do you think is beautiful about trees? to understand that there are many kinds of trees and that they are classified in different ways. I want students to
understand and appreciate symmetry and aesthetics in the natural world. Finally, I want students to understand how
How are trees different? trees help, the definition and impact of deforestation, and how we can help fight against that by reducing, reusing, and
recycling.
How many kinds of trees are in our playground? Near our homes? What
trees do we not see? Conversations
What do trees need?

How do trees help?  What basic types of trees are there?

 Does this tree shed its leaves or keep its leaves in the winter?
How can we use natural materials?  How can you tell what season it is by looking at this tree?
 Why are these roots so deep? Why are these roots shallow?
How can we reduce, reuse, and recycle?

Assessment Evidence (Stage 2)

What assessment strategies /tools will help check for understanding? Performance Task (Overview)

Anecdotal notes – student observation and participation in class, as well as the child at play Students will fill out a T chart differentiating aspects of
coniferous trees versus deciduous trees. Objects such as
Observation checklists – student progress regarding specific competency outcomes seeds, pinecones, leaves, pine needles, and tree outlines will
be provided to the children. Students will be able to sort
Conversations – This will provide information directly from the child regarding particular understandings with will demonstrate student these items into the category ‘deciduous’ or ‘coniferous’ and
development over the course of the unit. These conversations can be recorded or recalled on paper later by the teacher. These will glue them in the correct place on the T chart. This will
serve as a reflection of what areas the child is succeeding and where they may need additional support. Finally, they will be included in develop students’ ability to examine and make comparisons
the student’s portfolio to demonstrate their progress. between two facets of an object. Students will also
demonstrate their ability to apply quality concepts (color,
Portfolios – collection of student’s drawings, writing, and various activities done in class size, shape) by discussing qualitative aspects of trees and
their parts.
Question and answer checklists – particularly when judging student’s reading and listening comprehension
Students will create rubbings of different leaves, the trace
the outline and the veins. Students will then use magnifying
glasses to examine the leaves more closely and draw in the
details they can observe. This will demonstrate prewriting
skills in tracing and outlining as well as different elements of
scientific inquiry including observation, identifying questions
based on observation (what are these little lines in the leaf?),
as well as developing ideas and making predictions.

Students will demonstrate their understanding of “wants”

versus “needs”. In reflection of “The Lorax”, students will
organize a dramatic rendition of how they would convince
the Onceler to stop cutting down trees. This will demonstrate
students’ understanding of how trees help, and how we can
protect trees and forests by reducing, reusing, and recycling.
 In groups, students will make posters to post around the
community denoting various facts about trees. These facts
will underscore the importance of trees to our communities
and will promote action to stop excessive deforestation.
Students will demonstrate their social development through
this group work. Groups must communicate in socially
appropriate ways, including sharing materials, listening to
other’s ideas, and appropriately resolving conflict. Through
this artistic representation, students will demonstrate their
ability to recognize and respond to basic elements of art.
Additionally, students will display their ability to respond to
and produce aesthetic experiences through use of open-
ended materials.

Learning Plan (Stage 3)

How will you hook students at the beginning of the unit? (motivational set)

As a class, the teacher will lead the creation of a mind map wherein students can list all the things they know about trees. After this, students will go on a field trip to Montreal’s Arboretum.

What events will help students experience and explore the enduring understandings and essential questions in the unit? How will you equip them with needed skills and
knowledge? How will you organize and sequence the learning activities to optimize the engagement and achievement of all students?

First the children will create a mind map of what they currently know about trees. This will give students and teacher a clear view of the information they already know. Following this will be a field trip
to Montreal’s Arboretum to explore the different types of trees that can grow in our climate and be introduced to the two different kinds of trees: deciduous and conifer. Students will be exposed to
different terminology regarding trees, including bark, leaves, veins, trunk, roots, crown, bud, and foliage. Children will return from the trip and draw a favorite new fact that they learned at the
arboretum.

Following this, children will participate in story times that include fiction and information texts that will cement these new vocabulary words. It will also reinforce notions of coniferous and deciduous
and their similarities/differences. Students will participate in a “coniferous leaf versus deciduous leaf” sorting activity. After reading the book “The Lorax” students will participate in discussions revolving
around how trees help and issues surrounding deforestation.

Next, students will learn about ‘wants’ and ‘needs’ and explore what trees need. Notions of ‘living’ and ‘nonliving’ thing will be discussed, and children will observe leaves with magnifying glasses to
document whether or not they think trees are living things.

At this time, children will demonstrate their understanding of new vocabulary terms by creating artistic diagrams of trees and how they grow. Students will fill out a T chart differentiating aspects of
coniferous trees versus deciduous trees. After reflecting on the book, The Lorax, students will create a dramatic rendition of how they would convince the Onceler to stop cutting down trees.

To conclude the unit, students will create artistic posters that discuss trees’ needs, how they help, and the effects of deforestation on our environment.

How will you cause students to reflect and rethink? How will you guide them in rehearsing, revising, and refining their work based on your essential questions and enduring
understandings?

I will encourage students to reflect and think on their learning by continuing the mind map we created at the beginning of the unit in different colors. This will demonstrate the different stages of their
learning. That way, students can easily see the knowledge they started with and the knowledge they continued to learn throughout the unit.

How will you help students to exhibit their growing skills, knowledge, and understanding throughout the unit?

With their art work and projects through this unit, the children will decorate the classroom to look like a forest. This forest will demonstrate all of the information they have learned about trees,
including parts of the tree, how trees grow, and why trees are important to us.

Environment
(What will be added to the environment to support the unit?
One wall will have two papier maché trees (one conifer and one deciduous) that the children will continue to add details to as their knowledge of trees expands. Examples of things children will add to
the tree are bark, buds, fruit, leaves/pine needles, acorns/pinecones, and a tree hollow with an animal family living inside. There will be a science display called “things that come from trees” which will
contain objects such as seeds, pinecones, acorns, leaves, twigs, and bark. A poster on the wall will show a tree cut down the middle and label all the parts that help the tree make food to live.
Students’ tables will be named after different species of tree found in the schoolyard and neighborhood.

What resources will you use in the learning
experiences to meet the outcomes?
Books examples:
 The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
 Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert
 The Fall of Freddie the Leaf: A Story of Life for All
Ages by Leo Buscaglia
 I Can Name 50 Trees Today: All About Trees by
Bonnie Worth
 Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson
 The Lorax by Dr. Seus
Videos examples:
 The Most Amazing Thing About Trees by
Veritarisum
 Science Trek: Trees by Idaho Public Television
 The Importance of Trees (YouTube)
Web resources:
 Project Learning Tree: https://www.plt.org/
 Fantastic Fun Learning – Tree Activities for Kids:
https://www.fantasticfunandlearning.com/tree-
activities-for-kids.html
 Landscape and Child Development:
https://www.evergreen.ca/downloads/pdfs/Landsc
ape-Child-Development.pdf
Outline of planned lessons:
1. Science: Students will create rubbings
of different leaves, the trace the outline
and the veins. Students will then use
magnifying glasses to examine the
leaves more closely and draw in the
details they can observe. This will
demonstrate prewriting skills in tracing
and outlining as well as different
elements of scientific inquiry including
observation, identifying questions based
on observation (what are these little
lines in the leaf?), as well as developing
ideas and making predictions.
2. Math: Students will participate in a
‘measurements’ activity. Students will
create their own trees from various
materials and measure the difference in
height between several trees. Then
students will line up trees from shortest
to tallest. During this lesson, students
will briefly review concepts of millimeter,
centimeter, and meter that were
previous discussed in another unit.
Play
What interactions (e.g., environment, conversations) can I offer to maximize the
children’s opportunities for learning and inquiry?
Outdoors – Outdoor nature walks with the students will include gathering tree parts
from the ground.
Math Center – various natural objects that come from trees (seeds, leaves, twigs,
rocks, acorns, pinecones) to count, make patterns, and create graphs, and observe
symmetry in nature
Drama Center –leaves, sticks, acorns, pinecones, and other natural resources to create
“enchanted forest” scenes. Examples of this could be Little Red Riding Hood or Robin
Hood.
Library Center – broad range of fiction and informational texts centered on trees and
forests, with a focus on those in Canada.
Visual Arts center – art supplies will maintain a focus on the natural, such as seeds,
leaves, twigs and branches, bark, rocks, and dirt. Students may use these objects as
patterns for further art exploration. This center will additionally contain items that can be
reused or recycled in our art.
Science Center – scientific tools such as magnifying glasses, eye droppers, test tubes,
and magnets will be used to explore natural materials
Listening Center – informational audiobooks about trees, and nature and animal
sounds from forests around the world

Materials: 3. English Language Arts: The teacher

 Natural materials (rocks, twig, sticks, leaves, will read the book “The Giving Tree” and
seeds, dirt, roots, bark introduce the idea of wants versus needs
 Arts supplies (pencils, crayons, construction paper, to the class.
lined paper, journals, glue, paint, clay,

Field trip
 Montreal Arboretum
 Outdoor nature walks

Assess and Reflect (Stage 4)

Does my unit promote life long learning, encourage the development of self and community, and engage students?

One excellent aspect about this unit is that it gives the teacher an excuse to get students outside and appreciating nature. It promotes awareness of nature and environmental concepts such as the
impacts of deforestation. This exposure to the natural world can aid students in identifying with nature and work towards providing a mindset of planetary caretakers.

Do the learning experiences allow learners to use multiple literacies while constructing knowledge, demonstrating social
responsibility, and acting autonomously in their world?

This unit encourages students to develop a variety of literacies, including literary, scientific, artistic, and natural literacy. It allows children to actively construct knowledge of their world as co-
constructors in their learning while demonstrating the social responsibility they have as planetary caretakers and active citizens in their community.

Adaptive Dimension:
Have I made purposeful adjustments to the curriculum content (not outcomes), instructional practices, and/or the learning environment to meet the learning needs of all my
students?

This unit works to adapt itself to diverse learners of a variety of needs, including those who benefit from an assortment of learning styles and multiple intelligence theories. I aim to do this by using
student-led projects, diverse lesson plans and materials, diverse assessment, and having lesson plans target each of the different domains related to the preschool competencies.

Instructional Approaches:
Do I use a variety of teacher directed and student-centered instructional approaches?

In this unit, I try to focus on learning that is centered on the student. This will be targeted throughout the unit with the use of class-led mind maps, group brainstorming and discussions, learning
centers, and student-led experimentation.

Student Evaluation:
Have I included formative and summative assessments reflective of student needs and interests based on curricular outcomes?

Formative assessment will be conducted throughout the unit by analyzing student work, think-pair-share sessions, conversations, and anecdotal notes. Summative assessment will be conducted
through the cumulation of a student portfolio and the final project.

Resource Based Learning:

Do the students have access to various resources on an ongoing basis?

Students will have regular access to various resources such as literature, digital media, web resources, varied materials, and field trips.
Content and Perspectives/Gender Equity/Multicultural Education:
Have I nurtured and promoted diversity while honoring each child’s identity?

This unit will encourage students’ natural curiosity about the world around them, allowing them to build a natural identity. Additionally, students will be exposed to the notion that anyone can be an
active member and shaping force in the community.

Adapted from: Wiggins, Grant and J. McTighe. (1998). Understanding by Design, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.