Are you up for an adventure? If you are, we are!
Before we get started: any outdoor activities that we encourage you to do must be done with a parent or guardian. We want you to have fun and to have fun safely.
Instructions:
The Stations
1. Get your Arbor day journal ready.
(Or download it here if you need.)
2. For each station, watch the video then answer the journal questions.
3. Repeat for all four stations.
4. Share your work with your teacher or a guardian to show them what you learned!
And now, open up your journal and begin with station one.
1. Plant Pests 101
intro to plant pests video
It’s a pest party & we’re not invited.
So what are forest pests? Watch this video to find out.
After watching, you’ll understand:
- What an invasive species is.
- How they are introduced and spread.
- Why people are so concerned about them.
- Why they’re so hard to manage.
We’ll also introduce you to a few different pests so you can see for yourself!
Now that you’ve watched the video, open your Arbor Day online journal and answer the questions about invasive plant pests. When you’re ready, move on to the next section to find out your tree personality!
2. Tree Personality Quiz
Which tree are you & what’s your bug problem?
Now that you’ve completed your journal’s first section, let’s turn our attention to trees for a bit. In this section, you’ll take the tree personality quiz to learn which of five tree species you are.
Then in section three of the journal, you’ll use your tree personality results to learn about a forest pest that might bug you!
Tree Personality Quiz
Now that you’ve discovered your tree personality, open your journal and answer the questions related to this section. When you’re ready, move on to the next section to meet a forest pest that might bug you!
3. Meet the Pests
Click on your tree’s pest to get to know it a bit!
*Meet the Pest slide videos work best with Chrome Browser
Asian Long-horned
Beetle
spotted lanternfly
Nun Moth
Marmorated
Stink Bug
Meet the Pest slide videos
Now that you’ve met your forest pest (or more than one? You can met them all!), open your journal and answer the questions related to this section. When you’re ready, stand up, take a big stretch, and get ready to go outside!
4. Let’s take it outside.
What trees do you see?
In honor of Arbor Day, let’s inspect the health of some nearby trees. Find a safe, comfortable spot outside to do this activity. Don’t forget your Arbor Day journal!
The sun is always more fun when you’re with others. So make sure you’re acompanied by friends, family, or a guardian.
Then do the activities found in your journal. We’ll guide you to look for things that will tell you whether the trees near you are happy and healthy.
Have fun outside!
Interested in even more activities? We’ve included a collection of links to fun activities and information you might enjoy.
5. Bonus activities
From ISAN
- Experts Explain It: Our arborist friend, Alex Norquist, describes why forest pests are such a big deal.
- Do you like word scrambles? Or mystery numbers? Have fun with these activities.
- Take a Bite Out of Forest Pests: Part three of an animated video series that simplifies the complex subject of invasive species into two minute consumable bites.
From Others
- From ArborDay.org: checking trees for tree pests.
- From DontMoveFirewood.org: Learning more about why we don’t move firewood.
