Three Cheers for Trees

Join Pinky Jackalope as she journeys across the Smithsonian to discover trees — both outside in nature and in gardens, and even inside the museums! Whether it's a tall oak tree growing next to the National Museum of American History or a sculpture of a tree inside the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Pinky will learn what makes each tree so special to the Smithsonian and to the world! 
 

Screech owls may be tiny and cute, but they’re also tree experts! Join Keeper Sarah and Pinky Jackalope to discover how screech owls make their homes in tree cavities and use their feathers to perfectly camouflage with the bark, helping them hide from larger animals.

Trees do so much for us; they provide beauty, shade, and the air we breathe! However, it’s easy to walk by a tree without giving it a second thought. Use these “Meet a Tree” questions to structure a guided observation of a tree with young learners.

Bring the outside indoors with this "shopping list" of items you can use to build a nature play area in your classroom!

Discover how syrup is made, starting with the sap of a tree and ending with the sweet, golden-colored liquid often used for pancakes, waffles, and other treats!

Explore this story of the Jefferson Tree, a very special kind of tree that grows along the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Learn about what makes it special and how it has helped researchers understand a specific tree disease. 

Put on your dancing shoes!  Find all the songs you loved from the program, plus more songs from Nick the Music Man and Pinky Jackalope!

Did you know there is a coffee farm in the National Zoo Bird House, full of beautiful trees, plants, and birds?! Come explore this magical oasis with the help of Pinky Jackalope and her friend, animal keeper Daniel.

Explore the wonders of the natural world through the songs of the First Lady of Children’s Music, Ella Jenkins! This series of activities uses Ella Jenkins' music to explore tree types and features with fun activities like singing about trees and going on a tree walk. Enjoy a free playlist of songs about trees from Smithsonian Folkways Recording while you are learning!

Pinky shows you and your students a fun way to explore the different colors of trees with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and Smithsonian Gardens. Take your own Hue Hike to discover the colorful nature that is all around you, whether you are in a forest, a city, or somewhere in between!

Fruit trees need pollinators to help them change flowers into fruit. Pollinators find their food inside of flowers and spread pollen from tree to tree as they eat. In this hands-on activity, practice color identification as you help six pollinator friends find some of their favorite flowers so they can eat and help new flowers grow!