Plant Nature Study II by Jacob Joshua Levison Plant Nature Study II by Jacob Joshua Levison    

Lesson 32: Deciduous - The White Flowering Dogwood

Directions

Study the lesson for one week.

Over the week:

• Read the lesson.
• Review the synopsis.
• Recite aloud the vocabulary words and their definitions.
• Learn the concepts.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Study the review questions.

Synopsis

This lesson covers the white flowering dogwood tree, which grows leaves in whorls of three, square bark plates, and lovely blossoms and autumn foliage. The scientific (Latinized) name of the white flowering dogwood is Cornus florida.

Vocabulary

Dogwood: Any of various small trees of the genus Cornus.
Whorl: A circle of three or more leaves.
Dag: A dagger or a sharpened rod.

Concepts

DOGWOOD NAME

1. Where did the dogwood get its unique name?
2. Long ago, it was also called 'Hound's Tree,' and its fruits 'dogberries' or 'houndberries.'
3. One theory is that the tree was originally named 'dagwood,' because its sticks were used to make dags (daggers or sharpened rods).
4. It may be that dagwood turned into dogwood around 1548.

An additional name for the dogwood long ago was 'whippletree.'

Recite aloud Geoffrey Chaucer's 'The Knights Tale' verse 2065, which refers to the whippletree.

1. Maple, thorn, beech, hazel, yew, whipple tree,
2. How they were felled, shall not be told for me;
3. Nor how the forest gods ran up and down
4. Disinherited of their habitation,
5. In which they dwelt had in rest and peace.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Narrate the Lesson

• After reading or listening to the lesson, narrate the lesson aloud using your own words.

Activity 2: Study the Lesson Pictures

• Study the lesson pictures and describe how they relate to the lesson.

Activity 3: Take a Nature Walk

• Bring a small sketchbook and a specimen collection bag and embark on a nature walk.
• If they grow in your area, find a dogwood tree. Otherwise, seek out another unstudied tree.
• Study and sketch the appearance and habitat of the tree, especially its flowers and bark.
• Collect a leaf whorl specimen from the tree.
• Use the sketch and leaf specimen to create the field book entry.

Activity 4: Complete a Field Book Entry   

After your nature walk, complete page 48 in 'Science Field Book for Fourth Grade.'

Review

Question 1

Why might the dogwood once have been named dagwood?

1 / 3

Answer 1

One theory is that the tree was originally named 'dagwood,' because its sticks were used to make dags.

1 / 3

Question 2

Describe the whorls of the dogwood.

2 / 3

Answer 2

The dogwood grows leaves in whorls of three.

2 / 3

Question 3

What was once called whippletree?

3 / 3

Answer 3

The dogwood was once named whippletree.

3 / 3

❮ ❯

1. Why might the dogwood once have been named dagwood? One theory is that the tree was originally named 'dagwood,' because its sticks were used to make dags.
2. Describe the whorls of the dogwood. The dogwood grows leaves in whorls of three.
3. What was once called whippletree? The dogwood was once named whippletree.

References

'Studies of Trees' by Jacob Joshua Levison. gutenberg.org/ebooks/16116. n.p.

'Cornus.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.