Welcome to the Norway Maple Tree
Family Activity
- Did you know that inside this Norway maple trunk there are lots of working parts?
- Inside it’s a bit like the layers of an onion!
- Each layer plays a very important part in the tree’s wellbeing & health.
- Sometimes if you find a tree stump, you can see all the different layers.
- Let’s go through each one & you can practise being each part!
- If you’re with lots of people you can be the layers of the trunk too with the ‘heartwood’ person in the middle.
- Heartwood layer – right in the centre of the trunk – stretch up tall & shout ‘TALL & STRONG’.
- Taproots – support the tree bringing up nutrients – sit or crouch at the base of the trunk & shout ‘SLURP, SLURP’.
- Sapwood layer – brings up water through trunk – stand next to the trunk drawing up water with arms & shout ‘WHEE, WHEE’.
- Leaves & livewood layer – make & move food down – face the trunk & flutter your fingers like leaves & shout ‘WHOO, WHOO’.
- Bark layer – protects the tree right on the outside – surround the trunk & shout ‘KEEP OUT, KEEP OUT’ to the beetles!
- Lateral roots – bring up water & nutrients – spread out around the tree & shout ‘SLURP, SLURP’.
Photographs © Cath Potter