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Into the Woods...

School: King Middle School

City/State: Portland, ME

Grade(s): 7

Format(s): Field guide: Natural science

Subject(s): Science and Technology, Visual Arts

Project Overview

7th grade students from the King Middle School in Portland, Maine, created this field guide to the trees, plants and birds of a local park called Baxter Woods.

Students engaged in multiple fieldwork visits to the park and each student was responsible for one tree that was located in Baxter Woods. During fieldwork, students observed their species of tree and captured information through note taking and sketch-work. Students worked with an arborist from the city and gathered additional information through internet research and books.

The creation of the field guide was an interdisciplinary project that involved the science, math, language, social studies, art and computer teachers. Parent volunteers also assisted.

Each entry contains a written description of a tree and basic identifying characteristics. To accompany the writing, students also created black and white illustration of a tree found in the park, as well as a detailed drawing of a leaf from that tree. Student writing and illustrations went through many revisions.

At the end of the field guide, students included a glossary and a list of the references they used to create the guide.

This product is from the same Learning Expedition as other student products in this archive: project #198 and #214, but is a field guide to a different park, made by a different group of 7th graders. It exemplifies filling a real need – instead of creating another field guide to the same park, students created a field guide for a park that did not have a field guide. 

How This Project Can Be Useful

  • Shows an example of a high quality product that, because of the use of black and white drawings, was inexpensively produced
  • Line and dot shading is strong
  • Includes excellent information about a large number of trees, plants and birds found in the park
  • The introduction to the guide is done in a unique way – through a lovely poem, written by a student.
  • Exemplifies a product with an authentic audience and one with a real purpose.
  • Illustrations are lovely, accurate and contain much detail. See Eastern White Pine, page 8; Maple Leaved Viburnum, page 28; and Downy Woodpecker, page 73
  • Follows professional field-guide format but still allows student voice to shine through
  • The individual entries vary in the amount of information, which allows students to contribute at different levels

Common Core State Standards

Standard Long Term Learning Target
W.7.2
  • I can write informative/explanatory texts that convey ideas and concepts using relevant information that is carefully selected and organized.
W.7.3
  • I can write narrative texts about real or imagined experiences using relevant details and event sequences that make sense.
W.7.4
  • I can produce clear and coherent writing that is appropriate to task, purpose and audience.
W.7.5
  • With support from peers and adults, I can use a writing process to ensure that purpose and audience have been addressed.
W.7.8
  • I can use a standard format for citation.
L.7.1
  • I can use correct grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
L.7.2
  • I can use correct capitalization, punctuation and spelling to send a clear message to my reader.
L.7.3
  • I can express ideas with precision.
L.7.6
  • I can use resources to build my vocabulary.
WHST.6-8.2
  • EL has not created long-term learning targets for WHST standards.
WHST.6-8.4
  • EL has not created long-term learning targets for WHST standards.
WHST.6-8.5
  • EL has not created long-term learning targets for WHST standards.
WHST.6-8.8
  • EL has not created long-term learning targets for WHST standards.
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