This study did not require us to go far in search of our subject. We are literally surrounded by pine trees! In fact, here in Georgia, they are mostly considered a nuisance. They grow nearly everywhere and tend to snap easily in storms--especially the ice storms we often have in winter--so most people don't want them near their homes. When we moved into Rose Cottage, there were big pine trees very close to the house in front and back, and taking those down was one of the very first things we did. Our yard still has plenty of them around the perimeter of our lot, though, so for our study, we just headed out into our yard.
[This is the view from our backyard.]
First we read about pine trees in The Handbook of Nature Study, and learned that ours are "pitch" pines. Because they are so prevalent here, Kathryn already knew quite a bit about them: their shape and color, what the cones and needles look like, and that the needles come in bunches of three. In fact, the number of needles in a bunch is one of the main ways to determine what type of pine it is. Ours are a yellowish-green, and in early summer, everything everywhere is completely coated with thick yellow pollen. After reading that the individual pollen granules are beautiful under a microscope, I'm eager next summer to have a look-- and maybe I'll even learn to appreciate the pollen a little bit. {smile}
After reading, we headed outside to collect pine cones; I have a craft project or two in mind for them later. Kathryn made a wise decision to wear her gardening gloves because those pine cones are prickly! We studied the trees, and how the cones grow along the branches, usually in a cluster of two. We decided that the bark looks scale-like, and examined some think chunks of bark left over from the big pines we cut down a couple of years ago. I pulled off a small branch tip to bring inside for closer examination, and although our trees are not pretty (in my opinion), they do smell nice and the cones are pretty and more rounded that some types.
Once inside, we examined needles (which are the pine's leaves) and the cones with a magnifying lens, and Kathryn drew a cone and a bunch of needles, and wrote a bit about what we learned today. One fact we both found interesting was that pine cones take two years to mature!
We are loving this fall weather. As I type this, I'm watching Kathryn and Lacy the Wonder Dog play in the backyard. Kathryn is gathering grass & weeds to decorate her playset, and she just brought me a dandelion she pulled in half to study the inside... so it seems she's enjoying a bit of her own nature study even now. Come to think of it, I guess Lacy is, too, in her own way: chewing on sticks and wallowing in the cool grass. To read about more pine tree studies from different parts of the world, visit Barb's Outdoor Challenge #32
[This is the view from our backyard.]
First we read about pine trees in The Handbook of Nature Study, and learned that ours are "pitch" pines. Because they are so prevalent here, Kathryn already knew quite a bit about them: their shape and color, what the cones and needles look like, and that the needles come in bunches of three. In fact, the number of needles in a bunch is one of the main ways to determine what type of pine it is. Ours are a yellowish-green, and in early summer, everything everywhere is completely coated with thick yellow pollen. After reading that the individual pollen granules are beautiful under a microscope, I'm eager next summer to have a look-- and maybe I'll even learn to appreciate the pollen a little bit. {smile} After reading, we headed outside to collect pine cones; I have a craft project or two in mind for them later. Kathryn made a wise decision to wear her gardening gloves because those pine cones are prickly! We studied the trees, and how the cones grow along the branches, usually in a cluster of two. We decided that the bark looks scale-like, and examined some think chunks of bark left over from the big pines we cut down a couple of years ago. I pulled off a small branch tip to bring inside for closer examination, and although our trees are not pretty (in my opinion), they do smell nice and the cones are pretty and more rounded that some types. Once inside, we examined needles (which are the pine's leaves) and the cones with a magnifying lens, and Kathryn drew a cone and a bunch of needles, and wrote a bit about what we learned today. One fact we both found interesting was that pine cones take two years to mature!We are loving this fall weather. As I type this, I'm watching Kathryn and Lacy the Wonder Dog play in the backyard. Kathryn is gathering grass & weeds to decorate her playset, and she just brought me a dandelion she pulled in half to study the inside... so it seems she's enjoying a bit of her own nature study even now. Come to think of it, I guess Lacy is, too, in her own way: chewing on sticks and wallowing in the cool grass. To read about more pine tree studies from different parts of the world, visit Barb's Outdoor Challenge #32
