It’s Tree Time!

Title: It’s Tree Time!
Description: Learn about what a tree stump can tell you about the life of a tree. Season: Summer
Length of Activity: 1 hour
Age: 5-13
Button: Start the Activity

It’s Tree Time!
Have you ever taken a good look at a tree stump? If you have, you may have noticed that there are dozens of rings that look a lot like a bullseye.

Those rings tell the life story of the tree. Not only do they tell us how old the tree was, but also what the weather was like during each year of the tree’s life.

Each ring, for example, represents 1 year of the tree’s life. If it was a warm, wet year, the ring is likely to be wider. If it was a cold, dry year, the ring is thinner.

In other words, we could say that trees were the very first scientists to ever keep weather records!

And today, we are going to use them to help us keep time!

Supplies and Tools needed:
● A slice of a tree stump (available at your local lumber yard or here.)
● A marker
● 1 long nail (it should be the length of the diameter of your slice of tree stump)
● A hammer
● A clock
● A compass

Getting started

Step 1: Using your compass, find a sunny space facing north. Place your stump there.

Step 2: Using your marker, draw the face of a clock on the stump.

Step 3: Now, drive your nail into the center of the stump using your hammer.

Step 4: Observe the way that the sun casts its shadow and compare it with your clock. Check in with it each hour to see how the shadow changes.

Taking it Deeper
● What did you notice about your tree stump? How old was the tree when it was cut down? What else does the stump tell you about the tree’s life?

● What about your sundial? Was the time accurate? If not, what could you have done differently? In which direction did your shadow move?

Further Reading
Trees can tell us a lot about time, how long they lived, what the weather was like during their lifetime and even whether or not there were disasters such as fires or insect infestation. If you’d like to learn more about trees, here are 10 fun facts. Or, if you prefer picture books, here are 8 books to inspire your love for trees.

Further Watching
Do you want to know more about trees and what their stumps can tell us? Here is a wonderful video about life as a tree!