Year 1 Science: Trees that stay green
Part of the Year 1 Science plants around us chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page · Download worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF)
Trees that stay green
An evergreen tree keeps most of its leaves all year. It stays green in winter, too. Many evergreen trees have needles. A needle is a thin, pointed leaf.
Pine has long, thin needles, and cones. Fir has short needles packed along its twigs. Yew has flat, dark green needles and red berries. Yew is poisonous. Holly has shiny, spiky leaves and red berries. Holly berries are poisonous too.
Key ideas
- An evergreen tree keeps its leaves all year.
- Pine, fir and yew have needles.
- Holly has spiky leaves and red berries.
- Yew and holly berries are poisonous. Never eat them.
Method. Compare each choice with what you know about it.
- Look at each choice. Think about what each one is like.oak / pine
- Choose the one that matches. A pine tree is evergreen. It keeps its needles in winter. An oak loses its leaves in autumn.pine
- Write the answer. pine
Check. Check that the other choices do not match. ✓
Watch out. Read the whole clue before you choose.
Method. Look for the clue that tells you which one it is.
- Look at the picture. Look at the colour, the shape and the leaves.shiny spiky leaves, and red berries
- Match the clue to a name. The clue tells us which one it is.holly
- Write the answer. holly
Check. Read the clue again: shiny spiky leaves, and red berries. ✓
Watch out. Look closely. Do not guess from the colour alone.
Method. Think about which tree keeps its leaves in winter.
- Look at pine. A pine keeps its needles all year.Pine: evergreen
- Look at fir. A fir keeps its needles all year.Fir: evergreen
- Look at oak. An oak loses all its leaves in autumn.Oak: deciduous
- Write the answer. Oak is the odd one out, because it loses its leaves.
Check. Two trees keep their leaves. One does not. ✓
Watch out. The odd one out is the one that does not match the others.
Watch out
Watch out: an evergreen tree is not a tree with no leaves. Evergreen trees keep their needles or green leaves all year, even in winter.
Try it at home (with a grown-up)
Green in winter. On a winter walk with a grown-up, find an evergreen tree, such as a pine or a holly bush. Find a tree with no leaves. Look at both. Which one is still green? Look at the holly leaves from a safe distance. Do not touch the berries, and never eat any part of these trees. Wash your hands afterwards.
Working scientifically
What do you notice about the needles of a pine tree in winter? How could we find out whether they fall off?
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. If you have a real Christmas tree, look at its needles together. Are they long or short? Soft or prickly? Remind your child that holly and yew berries are poisonous, and that they must never eat them.
Exercise 2E Naming evergreen trees and needles
Method. Look for the clue that tells you which one it is.
- Look at the picture. Look at the colour, the shape and the leaves.long thin needles, and cones
- Match the clue to a name. The clue tells us which one it is.pine
- Write the answer. pine
Check. Read the clue again: long thin needles, and cones. ✓
Watch out. Look closely. Do not guess from the colour alone.
Method. Look for the clue that tells you which one it is.
- Look at the picture. Look at the colour, the shape and the leaves.short needles packed along the twigs
- Match the clue to a name. The clue tells us which one it is.fir
- Write the answer. fir
Check. Read the clue again: short needles packed along the twigs. ✓
Watch out. Look closely. Do not guess from the colour alone.
Method. Look for the clue that tells you which one it is.
- Look at the picture. Look at the colour, the shape and the leaves.flat dark green needles, and red berries
- Match the clue to a name. The clue tells us which one it is.yew
- Write the answer. yew
Check. Read the clue again: flat dark green needles, and red berries. ✓
Watch out. Look closely. Do not guess from the colour alone.
Method. Look for the clue that tells you which one it is.
- Look at the picture. Look at the colour, the shape and the leaves.shiny spiky leaves, and red berries
- Match the clue to a name. The clue tells us which one it is.holly
- Write the answer. holly
Check. Read the clue again: shiny spiky leaves, and red berries. ✓
Watch out. Look closely. Do not guess from the colour alone.
Method. Compare each choice with what you know about it.
- Look at each choice. Think about what each one is like.oak / holly
- Choose the one that matches. Holly is evergreen, so it keeps its leaves all year. An oak loses its leaves in autumn.holly
- Write the answer. holly
Check. Check that the other choices do not match. ✓
Watch out. Read the whole clue before you choose.
Method. Read the sentence, then think about the fact.
- Read the sentence. Think about what it says.A pine keeps its needles in winter.
- Check the fact. A pine is evergreen, so it keeps its needles all year.Yes
- Write the answer. Yes
Check. Say the fact in your own words: A pine is evergreen, so it keeps its needles all year. ✓
Watch out. Think about what is true, not what sounds right.
Method. Read the sentence, then think about the fact.
- Read the sentence. Think about what it says.An oak loses its leaves in autumn.
- Check the fact. An oak is a deciduous tree. It loses its leaves in autumn.Yes
- Write the answer. Yes
Check. Say the fact in your own words: An oak is a deciduous tree. It loses its leaves in autumn. ✓
Watch out. Think about what is true, not what sounds right.
Method. Read the sentence, then think about the fact.
- Read the sentence. Think about what it says.Holly berries are safe to eat.
- Check the fact. Holly berries are poisonous. Never eat them.No
- Write the answer. No
Check. Say the fact in your own words: Holly berries are poisonous. Never eat them. ✓
Watch out. Think about what is true, not what sounds right.
Method. Read the sentence, then think about the fact.
- Read the sentence. Think about what it says.Holly leaves are needles.
- Check the fact. Holly has broad, shiny, spiky leaves. It does not have needles.No
- Write the answer. No
Check. Say the fact in your own words: Holly has broad, shiny, spiky leaves. It does not have needles. ✓
Watch out. Think about what is true, not what sounds right.
Method. Compare each choice with what you know about it.
- Look at each choice. Think about what each one is like.yew / fir / pine
- Choose the one that matches. Yew has flat, dark green needles and red berries.yew
- Write the answer. yew
Check. Check that the other choices do not match. ✓
Watch out. Read the whole clue before you choose.
Method. Think about which trees keep their needles in winter.
- Read what Sam said. Sam says all trees with needles lose them in autumn.All needles fall?
- Think of a tree with needles. A pine tree keeps its needles all year.Pine: keeps needles
- Write the answer. No. A pine tree keeps its needles all year.
Check. Check a pine tree near you in winter. ✓
Watch out. Some trees with needles keep them all year.
Method. Think about the difference between the two kinds of tree in winter.
- Think about an evergreen. An evergreen tree is still green in winter.Still green
- Think about a deciduous tree. A deciduous tree has no leaves in winter.No leaves
- Write the answer. An evergreen is still green. A deciduous tree has no leaves in winter.
Check. Picture a green pine next to a bare oak in winter. ✓
Watch out. Look at whether the tree still has leaves or needles.
Method. Think about what poisonous means.
- Look at the berries. Yew and holly berries are red and look tasty.Red berries
- Think about what they do. They are poisonous, so they could make us very ill.Poisonous
- Write the answer. They are poisonous, so they could make us very ill.
Check. Never put a berry in your mouth, even if it looks nice. ✓
Watch out. A berry can look nice and still be poisonous.