Lesson

Deciduous vs Coniferous Trees Date Wednesday, November 13

Title/Focus
Subject/Grade Time
Grade 6 Science 60 minutes
Level Duration

OUTCOMES FROM ALBERTA PROGRAM OF STUDIES

General Students will: 
Learning
Outcomes:
6–10 Describe characteristics of trees and the interaction of trees with other living things in 
the local environment. 
Specific 4. Identify general characteristics that distinguish trees from other plants, and characteristics that 
Learning
distinguish deciduous from coniferous trees. 
Outcomes:

5. Identify characteristics of at least four trees found in the local environment. Students should be 
familiar with at least two deciduous trees and two coniferous trees. Examples should include native
species, such as spruce, birch, poplar, and pine and cultivated species, such as elm and crab apple. 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students will:
1. Compare coniferous and deciduous trees to identify differences between them
2. Familiarize themselves with two deciduous and two coniferous trees from the local environment.
ASSESSMENTS (How I will know students have achieved the objective(s))

Formative Assessment

Conversation:

 Teacher asks questions and prompts students to compare differences between coniferous and deciduous trees.

 Teacher will decide if students have successfully identified at least 4 trees in the local environment.

Observations:

 During Activity 1, the teacher will determine if students can successfully identify characteristics of deciduous and
coniferous trees.

Prior to the Lesson MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

 Prepare slide show  Poster board
 Markers
 Laptops
PROCEDURE
Introduction Time

Adapted from a template created by Dr. K. Roscoe 1

After entering the room, students will familiarize themselves with the vocabulary of the day by working on
their vocab cards. The vocab of the day will be projected on the board using the following slides:
HYPERLINK
"https://docs.google.com/a/westwind.ab.ca/presentation/d/1XOdbmLgvmFJBbmh615dQPDJ0
tqRkpr927qct9f4DAxE/edit?usp=drive_web" \t "_blank" INCLUDEPICTURE
"/var/folders/7p/r2r6t3t12fb12c_v1w819rz80000gn/T/com.microsoft.Word/WebArchiveCopyPa
steTempFiles/vnd.google-apps.presentation" \* MERGEFORMATINET Science Vocab

Transition: Students will be asked to gather in the reading corner so that they can brainstorm and compare
the differences between deciduous and coniferous trees.
25 minutes
Tell students that an easy way to remember the difference between coniferous and deciduous trees is by the
way they sound. Coniferous are cone-bearing. Prompt students to think about deciduous and coniferous
trees that may be found in their backyard, the schoolyard or around town. Ask students to think about their
differences and fill out a t-chart as it’s being discussed.

- How do the leaves compare? Broad-leaf vs needle-shaped

- When do they lose their leaves?
- Do they change color?
- Which tree loses more water?
- What else can be found on these trees? Cones vs flowers

Body Time
Activity 1: Identify/Sort Deciduous vs Coniferous
Bring up a variety of pictures and ask students to identify if the trees shown are coniferous or deciduous.
Students will have an opportunity to briefly discuss with their elbow partner. The teacher will then ask by a
show of hands if students think that it is a deciduous or coniferous tree and ask a student or two to share why
they thought what they did. If students are stuck, ask questions to promote thinking.

- What makes you think that this tree is coniferous/deciduous?

- What type of leaves does it have?
- Did the tree shed its leaves in the winter?
- Did the leaves change color?
- What types of trees have pinecones or flowers?

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/13aD5pieG9PCsWKbhbwBrAaQoPgGJK1LHdG1A7FR59Mw/edit?
usp=sharing 25 minutes

The last image that will be shown is a trick. It has pinecones, but the needles are missing. This tree, the larch
(tamarack) tree is a coniferous and deciduous tree because it loses its needles in the fall.

Transition: “Now that you have successfully identified differences between deciduous and coniferous trees,
it’s time to play detective and determine if the local suspects are deciduous or coniferous. You will need to do
your research and report your findings back to me.”

Activity 2: Explore Local Trees

Students will be shown a list of local trees. It is their job to google these trees and determine if they are
deciduous or coniferous trees. We will summarize the findings at the end of class by a show of hands and
discuss any questions or insights.

Closure Time

Adapted from a template created by Dr. K. Roscoe 2

Remind students that as discussed in previous classes, trees have practical uses. It’s important to be able to
distinguish the difference between coniferous and deciduous trees and identify different types of trees in the
local environment because they can be used for many different things. For example, the Aboriginals of the
Northwest found many uses from the birch tree. They discovered that the inner bark of the birch tree in early
spring can be chewed as a sweet treat or starvation food. The leaves can be chewed and plastered on wasp 3 min
stings to extract poison. It can also be used to make canoes, boxes, moose callers, and artwork (Aboriginal
Plant Use in Canada’s Northwest Boreal Forest by Robin J. Marles, pg. 145-148).

Challenge students to figure out the names of any deciduous or coniferous trees in their yards.

Sponge Activity/Activities Ask students to draw a coniferous tree and a deciduous tree at the bottom of their t-chart

Reflections:

Adapted from a template created by Dr. K. Roscoe 3