From the Ground Up:
DECEMBER—Christmas Trees
Christmas is a time to celebrate traditions, make memories, and appreciate the farmers who help bring a little holiday magic to our homes. This winter, connect holiday traditions with the farmers, plants, and practices that make them possible.
Did you know a Christmas tree can spend nearly a decade growing before you bring it home? This December, explore the history of the Christmas tree, explain the life cycle of a conifer, identify types of trees and how they adapt, discover what it's like to work on a Christmas tree farm and more.
Americans buy millions of real Christmas trees every year. Trees are the No. 1 crop and agricultural product grown in the state of Louisiana. Did you know that nearly half of Louisiana’s land is a forest? Learn about the Louisiana forestry industry and Christmas trees this December.
Lesson Plans & Resources
GRADES Pre-K-2:
AITC Forestry Coloring Page
Color your way through Louisiana agriculture with our fun-fact, elementary coloring sheets.
Fit-to-page printing option recommended. See more coloring pages.
GRADES K-2:
Deciduous and Evergreen Trees
Classify a variety of trees as deciduous and evergreen and discover what products we get from trees.
Louisiana Standards
ELA: R1, R4, R7, SL1, SL2
GRADES K-2:
What's in the Forest?
Discover why trees are important, investigate the living and non-living components of a forest, and identify forestry products.
Louisiana Standards—ELA: R1, SL1, SL2;
Science: K-ESS3-3, K-ESS3-1
GRADES K-2:
Discover Christmas Trees
Explore the history of the Christmas tree, explain the life cycle of a conifer, identify types of trees and how they adapt, discover what it's like to work on a Christmas tree farm, and examine the ecology of conifer trees.
Louisiana Standards
ELA: R2, R4, R7, SL1, SL2
Science: K-ESS2-2, K-ESS3-1, K-2-ETS1-2
GRADES 3-5:
Discover Christmas Trees
Explore the history of the Christmas tree, explain the life cycle of a conifer, identify types of trees and how they adapt, discover what it's like to work on a Christmas tree farm, and examine the ecology of conifer trees.
Louisiana Standards
ELA: SL1, SL5
Science: 5-ESS3-1
Companion Resources
Reading Rings
Analyze a "tree cookie" to identify the age of a tree and any of its significant life events. Create a "tree cookie" of your own life.
Trees are for Treasuring...and Measuring
Introduce students to several ways to measure trees along with a way to measure their importance to Earth’s water cycle.
National Christmas Tree Association
The National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA) is the national trade association representing the Christmas tree industry.
How Do Christmas Trees Grow?
Hint: It takes a lot of love to grow a Christmas tree! Ben Butler, a Christmas tree farmer from Butler's Orchard, explains.
Books
“Christmas Farm” by Mary Lyn Ray
When Wilma decides her garden needs a new beginning, she gathers all her supplies and sixty-two dozen balsam seedlings to start a Christmas tree farm. Follow Wilma and Parker, her five-year-old neighbor, year after year as they nurture their trees, keeping careful count of how many they plant, how many perish, and how many grow to become fine, full Christmas trees. This book is available on YouTube (9:30).
“Christmas Tree Book” by Tomie dePaola
While picking out their Christmas tree, a couple of curious kids start to wonder where Christmas trees came from. Who invented the first one? How did they become so popular? And how have they changed over the years? This book tells you everything you ever wanted to know about Christmas trees—and everything you never even thought to wonder about. This book is available on YouTube (6:42).
Videos
Christmas Tree—How Does it Grow?
Why are Christmas trees harvested by helicopter? What does cutting them down mean for the environment versus an artificial tree? Discover how Christmas trees are grown and harvested on an Oregon farm.
How Drones are Helping to Plant Trees—A Cleaner Future
See how drones can plant tree seeds to help reforestation be more affordable and efficient with the goal of lowering overall carbon emissions.
How Old Is My Christmas Tree?
Learn all about Christmas trees and how to find out how old your tree is.
Christmas Tree Farm Virtual Field Trip
Tour a Christmas tree farm and learn all there is to know about Christmas trees.