WHERE THE GIANT SEQUOIAS GROW

After the students read “In the Beginning” and “Chapter 1-Wawona”

Have them take a blank map of California
Color in all the areas where the giant Sequoias live.

Using different colored pencils, color in other types of terrain that are found in California i.e. deserts, mountains, plains, fertile valleys.

Vocabulary from Big Tree

Wawona (Native American definition) pulverized buttresses

foliage asbestos tyrant

tap root tannin eyrie

carcasses

HOW OLD ARE THE GIANT SEQUOIAS?

After completing Big Tree, have each student draw a timeline.

On the top of the line, place a mark every 200 years for the growth of the tree, from the time it’s a seedling until today.
On the bottom of the line indicate what happened in the Old World that was significant.
When the students gets to the Pre-Columbian era (1400 A.D.), have them mark the timeline with what occurred in California during the tree’s growth.

BIG TREE

By Mary and Conrad Buff

TEACHER’S GUIDE - PAGE 2

Grade 4 Social Studies

California: A Changing State

Discuss with the class what Indian tribes passed through the Giant Sequoia forests

What tribes settled in the area?
What resources were needed from these forests to survive?

CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH

Have the students continue with their timeline by discussing the prospectors who traveled through the Giant Sequoias.

Where was gold found?
What cities were established because of the discovery of gold?
How did this affect the population and growth of California?

Have them complete the timeline up to modern California and compare it to the life of the Giant Sequoia.

California State Symbols:

Ask students to draw an example of the California symbols and write about each symbol.

Discuss with students when the symbols became official and why.

California Redwood in 1937 became the official state tree.
Discuss the two species of the tree. California Redwood and the Giant Sequoia.
Where did the name Sequoia originate?

State Fish – Golden Trout - 1947.

State Bird – Valley Quail - 1931

State Mammal – Grizzly Bear

BIG TREE

By Mary and Conrad Buff

TEACHER’S GUIDE - PAGE 3

Grade 4 Social Studies

California: A Changing State

Saving the Giant Sequoia

Discuss with the students how fire has helped the Giant Sequoias and what makes them fire resistant?

Talk about the issues of logging the giant redwood trees.

Have them research and write about the 1906 Antiquities Act? How has it helped the Giant Sequoia?

Why might people want to preserve a certain species of tree?
What California parks have been created to save the trees?

Tell the class about Julia Butterfly Hill who wrote, The Legacy of Luna: The Story of a Tree, A Woman and the Struggle to Save the Redwoods.

What part did John Muir play in saving the Giant Sequoias?

What other environmentalists have been instrumental in saving the trees?

Available Through: ID Number: BigTree892857

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