Tree stump

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

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/tree-stump

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 scientific discipline?Dendrochronology utilizes tree rings to reconstruct past climates and events
2. How do scientists read the history of a tree stump?Scientists look at the growth rings in the stump’s cross‑section. Each ring shows one year of growth and tells us about the weather that year.
3. Can a new tree grow from a stump?Yes! In many trees, especially deciduous ones, new shoots can sprout from the stump after the main trunk is cut. This is called coppicing and helps forests grow back.

Dendrochronology: The scientific study of tree rings used for dating past events and reconstructing past climates.
Coppicing: A sustainable forestry practice involving cutting trees near the ground to stimulate regrowth from the stump.
Nutrient Cycling: The process by which nutrients are exchanged and reused within an ecosystem, such as decomposition of organic matter.