Tree Rings

WOOD SAMPLES & TREE RINGS

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Mr. R.

**WOOD SAMPLE COLLECTION & NOTEBOOK**
	Option #2a - Collect some wood from downed trees (never cut live trees) or go to a local lumber yard, woodworking shop, or other business that uses wood. Collect small samples or end pieces of at least 10 types of wood. Identify and label each piece of wood and list what each type of wood is best used for.
	"A Year in the Wonderful Trees" educates as to the importance of trees and their uses. The most common Types of Wood used to make furniture. Article taken from the Reader's digest about The Different Types of Wood. "Friends of the Earth" shows different types of wood timber from A to Z. There are literally hundreds of common and exotic types of wood. Look up a wood's common name, then see what is listed as common uses. Man's Uses for Trees from Wonderful World of Trees Stuff We Get From Trees from Idaho Forest Products Commission

TREE RING PATTERNS

Option #2b - Find at least three tree stumps that show tree rings. You may need to ask a local forest ranger where you can locate some. Examine their ring patterns and variations. This is called the study of
dendrochronology (the dating and study of annual rings in trees):

ology - the study of
chronos - time, or more specifically events in past time
dendros - using trees, or more specifically the growth rings of trees

Count the number of rings the best you can. Are they close together or far apart? Do they vary in size from year to year? Are there any unusual growth patterns (shifted to one side, part of the rings incomplete, etc.)?

Prepare a field notebook describing the location you found each tree and discuss possible reasons for any variations you see. You may wish to take photos of each tree ring pattern are make very good drawings, emphasizing any variations you see.

The Idaho Forest Products Commission's web site teaches about the different layers of a tree and get a basic understanding of tree rings. Learn about insects that destroy trees, how paper is made, take a Tree Trivia Quiz and more at the Kid's Site.
Microscopy UK has some GREAT tree ring photos.
GridClub.com How can you tell a tree's age?
Ultimate Tree-Ring Web Pages is an amazing web site. More technical, but it contains lots of questions and answers.

dye
oxygen
piano keys
rayon - books
fishing floats - inks
telephone books
varnish - atlases and maps
price tags - ping pong balls
tires - umbrella handles -signs
automobile instrument panels
space craft reentry shields - newspaper
photographic film - newspapers - posters
football helmets - toilet seats - guitars
road building materials – insulation
shatterproof glass - artificial vanilla flavoring
cork - vacuum cleaner bags - movies - stadium seats
adhesives - decorations - turpentine - camphor - waxes
fireworks - crayons - tannin - charcoal - pine oil - pitch
musical instruments - perches for birds of prey - toilet paper
milk cartons - flooring - bark for landscaping - cardboard
grocery bags - furniture - chewing gum - paper towels
oil spill control agents - Christmas trees - hockey sticks
wildlife habitat - cosmetics - roofs - baby foods - cider - vitamins
cooking utensils - photographic film - lacquer - pallets - rubber gloves
mulch - clean water - golf tees - egg cartons - nail polish - fence posts - toys
toothpaste - eyeglass frames - syrup - antacids - shampoo - rubber gloves
menthol - electrical outlets - medicines - energy for electricity - plates and bowls
sausage casings - torula yeast - rulers - wooden blocks - houses - notebook paper - oars
plywood - paper plates - computer casings - stain remover - coffee filters - toothpicks
movie tickets - carpet and upholstery backsides - imitation bacon - diapers - horse corrals
postcards - tax forms - sponges - shade - particle board - shoe polish - luggage - bowling alley lanes
postage stamps - colognes - animal bedding - irrigation piping - fruit pie filling - golf balls - game boards
suspending agent for drinking soda - pencils - dry wall - baby cribs - baseball bats - lumber - decoys - kites
magazines -ice cream thickener - step ladders - birthday cards - broom sticks - cider - ceiling tiles
crutches - backyard play sets - axe handle - food labels - 2 x 4's - candy wrappers
scenery - party invitations - disinfectants - cd inserts - gummed tape - fruit
railroad ties - shelter belts - puzzles - swings - baking cups
buttons - cutting boards
benches - bird houses
stereo speakers
garden stakes
stairways - beds
tables - barrels
window frames
bulletin boards
linoleum - seesaws
fishing boats - billboards
disposable medical clothing
church pews - totem poles - desks
How many other tree products can you list?

http://www.idahoforests.org/wood_you.htm

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