You probably already know that woodlands are vital for the planet’s wellbeing, but did you know they’re also the ideal place to learn something new?
Yep – forests have everything you might want in the perfect study space: good vibes, fresh air and loads of snacks and comfy beanbags more opportunities for investigation than you can shake a stick at.
Get your walking boots on, we’re going on a meandering maths trail with these outdoor nature activities!
– A responsible adult
– Tape measure
– A piece of chalk
– Notepad
– Pencil
– Graph paper (cm2)
– Scissors
– Sticky tape
1) Ask another person to stand at the bottom of the tree with their back against the trunk.
2) Walk back 20 metres, or until you can see the whole tree.
3) How many times will your companion’s height fit into the whole length of the tree?
Work it out.
1) Take a tape measure and measure 1.5 m from the ground. Mark it with your chalk.
2) At this point on the trunk, wrap your tape measure around the trunk to get the circumference.
3) Divide the circumference by 2, and that should give you a fair idea of the tree’s age.
Woodland trees increase their girth (circumference) by between around 1.5 and 2.5 cm each year. Specific measurements can vary, of course. Oaks tend to grow about 1.8 cm per year and some pines can expand by 3 cm!
Trees that are exposed to winds sometimes develop wider trunks. Trees at the edge of a forest should have wider trunks than those deep inside. Does this seem to be the case where you are? Why do you think this might be?
1) Lay the leaf on a sheet of graph (cm2) paper.
2) Carefully draw around the edge.
3) Count the whole squares.
4) Add on the half squares.
5) Ignore those that are less than half a square.
1) Choose a large fallen leaf.
2) Starting at the base of the stem, carefully cut it down the middle along the main vein.
3) Tape one half of the leaf securely to a piece of paper.
4) Check for reflective symmetry by flipping over the other half and placing it on the taped half.
5) Is it a perfect match?
The Fibonacci sequence has been called nature’s secret code. It can be found in various different guises in lots of natural settings. Each number is the sum of the two numbers before it:
0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34 etc. Look around the forest – study tree branches, brackens and pinecones. Can you see the Fibonacci sequence anywhere?
1) Stand still in one spot.
2) Take out your notebook and pencil.
3) Turn slowly 360 degrees, noting down every living thing you can see.
4) How many different types of plant life can you count?
5) How many creatures can you spot?
6) Repeat your count at two or three different locations on the trail – next to the path; away from the path; on high ground; near water if you can find it. What do you notice?
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Words: John Davis. Illustration: Liv Bargman
New Leaf Publishing Ltd 2024