When did Arbor Day begin?

The first Arbor Day took place on April 10, 1872 in Nebraska.

Who was the founder of Arbor Day?

• Julius Sterling Morton (1832-1902), a Nebraska journalist and politician originally from Michigan.

• Morton (photo, right) felt that Nebraska's landscape and economy would benefit from the wide-scale planting of trees. He set an example himself planting orchards, shade trees and wind breaks on his own farm and he urged his neighbors to follow suit.

• He proposed that a special day be set aside dedicated to tree planting and increasing awareness of the importance of trees.

State Arbor Days (state trees in brackets)

• South Carolina First Friday in December (Cabbage Palmetto)

• Cabbage Palm Sabal palmetto Sabal palmetto 'Bonair'(Courtesy University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences)Description

Height: 40-50 feet (12-15 meters)Spread: 15-25 feet (4.5-7.6 meters)Leaf: 36 inches or longer (>91 cm)Range: Native to North America (USDA Hardiness Zones 8B through 11- Florida; Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Arizona and Nevada; coastal California, Oregon and Washington)

Each state's Arbor Day celebration date initiates the signing of an Arbor Day proclamation by local officials and Arbor Day activities related to trees and tree planting.

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. The book was originally published in 1964 but is still popular today.

. Using the story as an example, brainstorm ideas for why we need trees.

What we need to learn today:

• OBJECTIVES• The student will be able to: • •Identify personification in the story• •Identify the theme of the story (Giving vs.

Selfishness)

ELA

• The term “personification” (giving human qualities to animals or objects).

• Shel Silverstein. in his most popular book, The Giving Tree, uses personification.

What we need to do today:

• Students will listen to the story The Giving Tree and identify changes that occur to the tree as it ages. Students will complete a chart to show what gifts the tree and the boy gave each other throughout the story. Students will identify the boy's actions that made the tree happy or sad. Students will identify ways trees help us and our environment.

More Learning About Trees…

• view the following website to help understand the importance of trees. (Treetures)

Reading Counts Test:

• The Giving Tree• Written by Shel Silverstein

What's So Special About Trees?

• Trees and Oxygen• Trees as Food• Medicine from Trees• Trees create more beautiful and relaxing

environments that increase property values, reduce soil runoff and help reduce stress and the need for medicine.