Exploring Nature Through Measurement – Discovering Tree Diversity

As part of our Erasmus+ project “From Forest to Future”, our students took part in an outdoor STEM activity designed to explore tree diversity, strengthen mathematical skills and develop a closer connection with nature.

In the first part of the activity, students collected leaves from different trees around the school. They compared the leaves according to shape, length, width, colour and other visible characteristics. They also examined leaves of different sizes from the same type of tree and discovered that natural variation exists not only between different species, but also within the same species.

In the second part, students measured the circumference of tree trunks using string and compared the results from different trees. This gave them the opportunity to apply mathematical concepts such as length measurement, comparison and interpretation of quantities in a real-life environment.

The activity was also linked to mathematics curriculum skills related to measurement, comparison, data collection and interpretation. Students experienced that mathematics can be used as a practical tool for understanding nature, while scientific observation helped them recognise biodiversity in their local environment.

Through this nature-based STEM activity, students developed skills in observation, measurement, classification, comparison, data collection, teamwork and drawing conclusions.

The activity reflected the core approach of our “From Forest to Future” project by turning the natural environment into a real-life learning laboratory where science, mathematics and environmental awareness come together.