(Discover Outdoors)
by Abby Olson

Penguin: Do 3 requirements including the two starred and one optional

_____*1. Be able to name the different parts of a tree; leaves, bark, trunk, branches, and roots.

_____*2. Know two ways trees are used in your community.

Otter: Do four requirements including the two starred and two optional.

_____*1. Do Penguin *1 and *2

_____*2. How are trees important to humans? Why is the carbon dioxide they absorb and the oxygen they produce so vital to our health?

Dolphin: Do five requirements including the two starred and three optional.

_____*1. Do Otter *1 and *2

_____*2 Learn to distinguish between deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs. What is the difference between the two? Where do they grow?

Butterfly: Do six requirements including the two starred and four optional.

_____*1. Do Dolphin *1 and *2

_____*2. Make your own field notebook with at least 15 pictures or drawing of different types of trees. Learn about the trees you have included. Do they produce fruit? Are they used for fragrances, d?cor, or building? Learn to tell the difference between these trees and others.

_____*1. Do Butterflies *1 and *2

_____*2. What are the pros and cons to logging? Also, learn about forest burnings. What is the difference between back burning, control burns, and a prescribed burn? Why are they used?

 

Owl: Do nine requirements including the two starred and seven optional.

_____ 1. * Do Eagle *1 and *2

_____ 2. * Teach someone how to do a skill from this badge or teach some knowledge about this badge to someone. You can teach kids, your spouse, seniors, anyone, just as long as you are sharing your new found knowledge. If for some reason you cannot teach what you have learned to someone else, you may choose an additional 2 optional requirements instead.

Optional Requirements:

_____ 3. From pictures or actual leaves, identify at least 10 trees just by their leaves. You may wish to create a leaf rubbing of each leaf and make a poster of your tree types.

_____ 4. What are tree rings and what do they tell us? If you are a Butterfly, Eagle, or Owl find out what the study of tree rings is called and who invented it.

_____ 5. How are trees used for d?cor? Find d?cor tips for using bonsai, birch, and evergreen trees.

_____ 6. What is photosynthesis and how does it work? Butterflies – Owls should know the anatomy of the tree and the role each part of the leaf plays in photosynthesis.

_____ 7. What are the top three oldest types of trees in the world? Where are they found? Learn about the history or folklore of these trees.

_____ 8. Create a tree craft. You might make a card, painting, woodworking project, etc.

_____ 9. Create a game to help other kids learn about the photosynthetic process.

_____ 10. Learn about tree breeding. What is grafting and how does it work to one’s advantage? What is a seed orchard?

_____ 11. How are trees used for medicinal purposes? What tree’s bark is used in chemotherapy? What kind of bark was the first aspirin? How about the Melaleuca tree? What is it used in?

_____ 12. Using folklore from any type of tree write a story centered on it.

_____ 13. What kind of animals depend on trees for their survival? Where do they live?

_____ 14. Learn at least 3 ways that people in ancient times used trees.

_____ 15. Find out what the tallest trees in the world are. Where do they grow? Either visit one, or look at pictures online or in a book (with permission from your parent). How old are some of these trees?

_____ 16. Take a hike and note how many different trees you can find. How many can you identify?

_____ 17. What careers are there that involve trees? Examples might include a forest ranger, orchard manager, or botanist. What education and training do you need? What salary could you expect? What type of hours might you have to work? Where might you have to live?

_____ 18. Help with a tree planting service project.

_____ 19. Draw the life cycle of a particular tree including how it changes seasonally.