Shade tree

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/shade-tree

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary ecological role?Mitigation of urban heat island effect through shading and evapotranspiration
2. What is the environmental services?Carbon sequestration, oxygen production, stormwater management, soil stabilization, habitat provision
3. Why do shade trees help keep cities cooler?Shade trees block sunlight from hot surfaces and release water vapor, which lowers the temperature by several degrees.
4. Which trees are good for shade in warm places?In warm areas, fig trees, Erythrina species, and the African tulip tree are popular because they grow fast and give dense, year‑round shade.

Urban Heat Island Effect: The phenomenon where urban areas experience higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas due to human activities and built structures.
Evapotranspiration: The process by which water is transferred from the land to the atmosphere by evaporation from the soil and other surfaces and by transpiration from plants.
Carbon Sequestration: The process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide to reduce its presence in the atmosphere.