Make a Tree Bark Rubbing

When God made plants, including trees, on day three of creation week, he created them with everything they’d need to live. He designed special cells in the leaves to use energy from sunlight to make food for the tree in the spring and summer. These cells contain chlorophyll (KLAW-ruh-fil), which gives the leaves their green color.

In the fall, days get shorter and colder. The leaves stop making food, and the chlorophyll in the cells breaks down. The green color fades to yellow, orange, red, brown, and even purple, depending on the tree.

Different types of trees—maples, oaks, and elms, for example—have their own unique shapes and colors of leaves. They also have their own bark patterns. Tree bark is like a protective skin that defends the tree against disease, insects, and the weather. It also stores water to keep the tree hydrated.

Let’s go outside and get an up-close look at the unique leaves and bark patterns of different trees.

Hello there! I’m Buddy Davis, the host of Out and About on Answers TV. Let’s get our hands a little dirty as we investigate God’s amazing creation.

Materials

• Blank sheets of paper
• Glue stick
• Crayons
• Tape
• Pen or pencil

Activity

1. Remove the wrappers from the crayons before you go outside.
2. Find a tree and tape a piece of paper to the trunk.
3. Rub the side of a crayon all over the paper.
4. Collect a leaf from the tree, either from the ground or a branch, and use the glue stick to attach the leaf onto the paper with the bark rubbing.
5. Label each piece of paper with the name of the tree. (If you don’t know what kind of tree it is, ask a parent or guardian to help you find it in a book or on a website.)
6. When you’re done collecting your bark rubbings and leaves, look through all the different patterns and colors. As you admire God’s creativity, be sure to thank him for the beauty of trees!