Identifying Common Trees

Curriculum Area

Subject: Science
Key Stage: KS1 (Year 1)
National Curriculum Objective:

• Identify and name a variety of common wild and garden plants, including deciduous and evergreen trees.

Lesson Duration

Total Time: 40 minutes
Class Size: 30 students

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Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Name at least four common UK trees.
• Identify and classify trees as deciduous or evergreen.
• Recognise key leaf shapes and features of different trees.

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Required Resources

• Real or printed leaves from oak, sycamore, holly, and horse chestnut trees.
• Pictures of full trees for comparison.
• Large paper sheets for sorting activity.
• Coloured pencils and glue sticks.
• ‘Tree Detective’ worksheet.

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction – What is a Tree? (5 minutes)

• Start with a quick question: Can anyone name a tree?
• Show images of different types of trees (oak, holly, sycamore, horse chestnut).
• Explain the difference between deciduous (loses leaves in autumn) and evergreen trees (keeps leaves year-round).
• Class Challenge: Ask, “Do you think we can find trees near our school that are evergreen and deciduous?”

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2. Sorting Activity – Leaf Investigation (10 minutes)

• Hand out real or printed leaves (one per student).
• Have students examine their leaf's shape, texture, and edges.
• Use a large sorting chart on the board with two columns: Deciduous and Evergreen.
• One by one, students come up, share their leaf and stick it under the right category.
• Key Question: What makes some leaves soft and wide while others are small and spiky?

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3. Interactive Game – Tree Detective (15 minutes)

• Give each student a ‘Tree Detective’ worksheet showing four tree leaves.
• Go outside (if possible) or display an image of four trees on the board.
• Call out clues, e.g., “I have spiky leaves and red berries in winter! What tree am I?” (Holly).
• Students point to the right picture or stand next to the correct tree outdoors.
• Pair Work: Students draw their favourite leaf and colour it correctly.

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4. Plenary – Quickfire Review (5 minutes)

• Point to images of the four trees and ask students: “Which one is evergreen?”
• Use thumbs-up/down: “Does an oak tree keep its leaves all year?”
• Recap key facts in a fun chant:
  • “Evergreen stays, deciduous goes,
  • Leaves fall down when autumn blows!”

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Assessment Opportunities

• Observing participation in the sorting activity.
• Checking correct answers in the ‘Tree Detective’ worksheet.
• Asking questions during the review section.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Support: Use real leaves for sensory exploration; pair students to help each other.
• Challenge: Ask students to name extra trees they might know or spot outside.

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Extension Activity (Optional)

• Create a class tree scrapbook with collected leaves from the school grounds.
• Discuss how animals use trees for shelter and food.

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Teacher Reflection

• Did students engage well with the sorting task?
• Were they confident in recognising key tree characteristics?
• What could be improved for next time?

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This lesson plan is active, engaging, and encourages curiosity about the natural world. It allows hands-on learning while meeting curriculum requirements – a perfect introduction to trees in the UK! 🌳🍂