Are There Trees That Are Older Than Dinosaurs?
MATH
Get curious
5 min
Talk (5 min)
Talk about the oldest organisms on Earth.
Do you know of any long-living plants or animals?
When were the dinosaurs living?
3 min
Video/ Slide show (3 min)
Students watch a film about the oldest tree in the world.
3 min
Talk (3 min)
Talk about the film
How old is Methuselah, the oldest tree in the world?
What can we learn about climate changes from trees and how can we do this?
Are there any trees in the world that date back to the times of the dinosaurs?
Get going
10 min
Counting (10 min)
Children count the rings of a tree and calculate its age.
Children use the photos prepared for them.
3 min
Summary (3 min)
The students compare the results and draw their own conclusions among themselves.
15 min
Counting (15 min)
How can we calculate the age of a tree without cutting it down? The students measure the circumference of a tree and calculate its age on the basis of factors.
This part of the class takes place outside – the students measure living trees and calculate their age based on the growth factors table.
This is an interdisciplinary task. it is mathematical: You will make measurements and interpret data. However, you will also need to use your knowledge of nature.
6 min
Presenting results (6 min)
How old are the trees you have measured?
The teams share their results, compare them and draw conclusions.
Get practicing
Counting
Using the knowledge the students have acquired during the lesson they can: look for the oldest tree in their neighborhood or calculate the sequoia growth factor using the date from the video.
This task may be performed as homework.
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