I am an artist specialising in school and community projects. The resources reflect the range of work I have produced in teaching, leading workshops, artist residencies and projects in subjects as varied as art, design & technology, woodlands/Forest School, history, science and more. Many are illustrated by me. Some are linked to work I have carried out with organisations such as The Woodland Trust, Historic England as well as individual schools, mostly primary.
I am an artist specialising in school and community projects. The resources reflect the range of work I have produced in teaching, leading workshops, artist residencies and projects in subjects as varied as art, design & technology, woodlands/Forest School, history, science and more. Many are illustrated by me. Some are linked to work I have carried out with organisations such as The Woodland Trust, Historic England as well as individual schools, mostly primary.
This bundle brings together five sets of resources:
Germination
Photosynthesis
Reproduction
The Wood Wide Web
Structure of a Tree
Each one contains illustrated information sheets and worksheets with an additional experiment with data sheets in germination.
A tree is a type of plant and can be used as an example when studying plants in general. This may also be useful when looking at the role of trees in climate change.
Documents are all in black and white and come as pdfs for ease of download. The experiment is also available in Word (.docx) for editing.
Information sheets on:
Roots
Trunks
Buds and Twigs
Worksheets and Answer sheets on Roots and Trunks
Learning Objectives: To learn the different parts of a tree: roots, branches, trunk and the function of each. To learn the internal structure of a trunk.
Introduction:
Trees come in many shapes and sizes. Some may grow slowly but live for centuries or even thousands of years. Others may grow more swiftly but die after only decades. The environment in which the tree sets down roots will greatly affect its health, size and survival.
As with any plant light, water, and air are crucial. Where there is bare earth it is likely that pioneer species like birch, blown in on the wind, will be the first to arrive and to flourish. Compare that to an established beech or oak forest with a thick canopy blocking out the light to the ground below. There, fewer plants will have an opportunity to flourish unless a gap opens in the foliage above.
Recent research is revealing how much trees can sense and communicate with other trees and species.
This resource is the fifth in a series of five about the life cycle of a tree. The others are:
Germination
Photosynthesis
Reproduction
The Wood Wide Web
They are available as a bundle.
The document is supplied as a pdf for ease of download and is in black and white for ease of reproduction.
Keywords: Tree, roots, branches, buds, twigs, xylem, phloem, cambium, bark
Information sheet on the Wood Wide Web and mycorrhizal fungi networks Illustrated sheet showing elements of the Wood Wide Web
Worksheet filling in the elements of the Wood Wide Web
Learning Objectives:
To be aware that there are complex life systems functioning below the soil
To understand that plants and fungi often function in a cooperative way
To encourage a sense of wonder at the amazing things in nature and how there may still be many more things to discover
Scientists have only relatively recently discovered how trees in forests have an essential partner under the ground. A handful of soil can contain kilometres of mycorrhizal fungi. This beneficial fungi (as opposed to the varieties that attack plants) exchange minerals for carbohydrates, aid communication between trees and can even help find water.
One of the reasons that ancient woodlands are so important is that the fungi under the ground will have had hundreds, if not thousands, of years to establish. Seedlings, especially those near a mother tree, have greater chance of survival and when danger threatens in the form of pests or disease the fungi can warn other trees in the wood to prepare their defences. New trees planted in ground without this heritage in the soil may find it much more difficult to establish and survive. In trying to tackle climate change, this can make a huge difference.
Trees can host many types of fungi and fungi can connect many different trees, even different species. In a book published in association with Kew Gardens, it states that 90% of all plants need this symbiotic connection in order to live.
This resource is the fourth in a series of five about the life cycle of a tree. The others are: • Germination
• Photosynthesis
• Reproduction
• Structure of a Tree
It is available as a bundle.
Keywords: Life cycle, trees, fungi, decomposition, science, minerals, plants,
This resource is available as a pdf for ease of download and is in black and white for ease of reproduction
Information sheet on Pollination
Illustrated information sheets on Anatomy of a Flower, Development of Fruit
Worksheet on Reproduction
This resource aims to enable pupils to understand why trees produce flowers, attract pollinators and how they produce fruit and seeds, and to be able to name the parts of a flower.
The document is available as a pdf for ease of download and is in black and white throughout for simple reproduction.
This resource is the third in a series of five about the life cycle of a tree. The others are:
• Germination
• Photosynthesis
• The Wood Wide Web
• Structure of a Tree
They may be purchased as a bundle.
Keywords: reproduction, pollination, seed, fruit, tree, plant, stamen, pistil
Illustrated description of photosynthesis (KS2) • Illustrated description of photosynthesis (KS3) • Worksheet assessing photosynthesis
This resource will help pupils to understand how trees convert energy from the sun by photosynthesis and to be able to identify the roles of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the process. Two versions of the information sheet are provided: one with just words describing the process and one that includes the chemicals.
Reference is also made to climate change.
Photosynthesis is an essential biological function that is the basis for most life on earth. Leaves of plants, such as trees, absorb carbon dioxide from the air and water from their roots, then use energy from light to create glucose (also known as carbohydrate). The glucose is food the plant manufactures for itself in order to survive.
This resource is the second in a series of five about the life cycle of a tree. The others are:
• Germination
• Reproduction
• The Wood Wide Web
• Structure of a Tree
These are available as a bundle.
Included is a worksheet to assess understanding.
The documents are in pdf format for ease of download.
An illustrated guide to the process of germination, showing how a seed takes root and
sends up shoots; a worksheet assessing understanding of the process; and an experiment manipulating the variables required for growth with data sheets.
This resource contains an illustrated guide to the process of germination followed by a two page worksheet.
It is accompanied by an experiment in germinating seeds manipulating the variables of soil, water, air and sunlight. Each variable has its own data record sheet both in pdf and Word (.docx). Full instructions and details of the materials required are included.
A tree is a type of plant and, like other plants, follows a cycle of birth, growth and death. Trees tend to live a lot longer than other plants - some for hundreds, or even thousands, of years.
In some places natural regeneration takes place. Natural regeneration lets nature decide what seeds find their way to the soil, which ones survive to germinate, which ones put down strong roots and set their leaves high above the others to catch the most of the sun’s rays and which ones go on to be pollinated and reproduce seed of their own.
This resource is the first in a series of five about the life cycle of a tree. The others are:
• Photosynthesis
• Reproduction
• The Wood Wide Web
• Structure of a Tree
These are available as a bundle
The whole document is provided in pdf format with the experiment also provided in Word for easy editing.
Keywords: life cycle, tree, plant, germination, roots, shoots, science, experiment, growth
Creating collage houses, the River Thames and London Bridge to make a wall art display for the topic The Great Fire of London. The first display depicts a range of houses and other buildings, boats and the river. The second display focuses on London Bridge with boats.
This is a step by step guide to creating these displays, listing the materials and skills that would be used with some useful internet links included. There is a picture of a finished display created with a Year 1 class.
There are templates of London Bridge arches and buildings as well as several boats that can be photocopied and decorated or used as inspiration to draw your own versions. The illustrations on the templates have been inspired by seventeenth century depictions so are historically accurate. The templates can be put together to fill any size display board.
The file is a pdf for easy of download.
Keywords: Art; history; collage; painting; fire; London; 17th century, Great Fire of London, London Bridge, River Thames
Activities: Scissor skills; drawing; painting; gluing, collage