Six evidence-based missions in about an hour. Then a real-world expedition to meet a giant oak.
6 mini missions55–70 active minutesWorks offline
FIELD MISSION 001
Choose a chapter
Your mission map
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Mission 01 · Scientist's case fileAbout 8 minutes
How old is the giant?
Angel Oak is a Southern live oak on Johns Island. The City of Charleston estimates that it is 300–400 years old. A good scientist can tell an estimate from an exact measurement.
①
Height
About 65 feet tall, according to the City of Charleston.
②
Around its trunk
About 25.5 feet in circumference. Circumference means distance all the way around.
③
The shade
Its branches cover about 17,000 square feet of ground with shade.
④
Its birthday?
Its age is estimated, not an exact birthday. We cannot know the precise year it sprouted.
Detective thinking: Different sources give slightly different numbers for this tree. Some say 65 feet tall, others 66.5 feet. That is one more reason a careful scientist says about instead of exactly.
Write two thoughtful responses to collect your first stamp.
Mission 02 · Energy detectiveAbout 12 minutes
Where does a tree's food come from?
A tree needs water, nutrients, and energy. But soil is not its lunchbox: leaves make sugars using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide from air. This process is called photosynthesis.
①
Roots
Anchor the tree and absorb water and minerals from soil.
②
Trunk
Supports the canopy. Xylem carries water; phloem moves sugars to other parts.
③
Leaves
Use sunlight's energy to make sugar from water and carbon dioxide. Oxygen is released along the way.
④
Water's journey
As water evaporates from leaves (transpiration), it helps pull more water upward through xylem.
Apply what you learned
1. Two oak seedlings get similar water and soil. One gets much less sunlight. Which is the best prediction?
2. A friend says, "Trees get their food from dirt." What is the strongest evidence against that claim?
Answer both questions correctly and explain your evidence.
Mission 03 · Real tree mathAbout 12 minutes
Can numbers describe a giant?
We use measurements, estimates, multiplication, and subtraction to understand the world. Keep scratch paper nearby. The real Angel Oak measurements come from the City of Charleston; imaginary examples are clearly labeled.
Tree-ring clue
Many trees form roughly one growth ring each year. Ring patterns can reveal growing conditions, but counting rings in a picture does not prove Angel Oak's exact age.
1. Angel Oak is about 65 feet tall. An imaginary younger tree is 28 feet tall. About how many feet taller is Angel Oak?
2. Imaginary counting example: You spot 8 low branches, each with 6 fern patches. How many patches would there be altogether?
3. The real trunk circumference is about 25.5 feet. Round it to 26 feet. About how far is two trips around the trunk, if someone were allowed to walk all the way around?
4. The estimated age range is 300–400 years. What is the difference between the youngest and oldest ends of that range?
Bonus curiosity: The tree shades about 17,000 square feet. That's a measure of area, not how tall the tree is. What would you need to measure to estimate the area of a rectangle?
Solve four math problems and show one equation.
Mission 04 · Habitat investigatorAbout 11 minutes
What happens if a habitat changes?
An oak tree is more than one organism. It provides places where birds, insects, ferns, and other living things may find shelter. Some organisms benefit if conditions change, while others may struggle.
✺
Spanish moss
A flowering air plant, not a true moss. It uses branches for support and collects water and nutrients from rain and air. It is not a parasite.
✳
Resurrection fern
Grows on branches, curls and turns brown during dry spells, and can turn green again after rain. It does not steal food from the oak.
⌁
Birds and insects
Branches can offer nesting spots, hiding places, and a place to find insects to eat.
◌
Lichens
Many lichens are partnerships between a fungus and an alga or cyanobacterium. They can grow on bark without feeding on the tree.
1. After several dry weeks, resurrection fern looks brown and curled. Then heavy rain falls. Which explanation best fits what we know?
2. Imagine a big branch breaks in a storm. Which consequence is most directly supported by our habitat facts?
Claim + Evidence
A claim is what you think will happen. Evidence is the fact that supports it. Write one claim and two pieces of evidence.
Choose the evidence-based answers and write a supported claim.
Mission 05 · Real scientist labAbout 14 minutes
Can water climb uphill?
A paper towel can draw water upward through narrow spaces by capillary action. Tall trees also depend on transpiration: water evaporating from leaves helps pull more water up through xylem. A paper towel models one part of the story, not the entire tree.
Materials: clear glass, water, a strip of paper towel, timer, and optional ruler and food coloring. Ask your grown-up before handling food coloring. Keep water away from your device.
1
Predict
Place 2–3 cm of water in a glass. Predict what happens when just the end of the towel touches it.
2
Observe
Dip the bottom of a dry towel. Look after 30 seconds and again after 2 minutes. If you have a ruler, estimate how high the wet patch reaches above the waterline.
3
Reason
Water sticks to fibers (adhesion) and to other water molecules (cohesion). Compare the evidence with your prediction.
Which statement most accurately connects the experiment to a living, tall oak?
Make a prediction, record two observations, and explain your result.
Mission 06 · Prepare for the real worldAbout 8 minutes
Build a field guide. Test a claim.
A scientist brings questions outside instead of deciding the answers beforehand. Draw a model, predict what you'll observe, and bring your field guide with you.
Sketch how you think Angel Oak is shaped.
A fieldwork hypothesis
Angel Oak shades about 17,000 square feet. What do you predict you will notice about sunlight and plant life under the canopy versus out in the sun? What evidence would you collect?
Admission is free. City-listed hours are Mon–Sat 9 AM–5 PM, Sun 1–5 PM, but holidays can differ. Do not climb or hang from the tree. No food, drinks, blankets, or tripods on or around it. Follow the posted rules.
Draw a model, write three questions, and plan your observation.
Six missions completedThe adventure starts here!
Certified Tree Detective
You've practiced making predictions, analyzing evidence, calculating with real data, and comparing habitats. Now test your thinking at Angel Oak.
Tree Detective Academy proudly awards
Remi
the title of
Certified Oak Investigator
Evidence is a scientist's superpower.
Completed 6 checked missions
One final science challenge after your trip: Was your prediction right? Use at least two observations from the actual park. Scientists can change their minds when they get new evidence.
Remi's Oak Quest · 3rd Grade
Tree Detective Field Guide
Name: Remi Date: _______________
My original prediction
Estimate or exact?
Leaves and sunlight
My math reasoning
My habitat claim and evidence
Water experiment
Remi's Oak Quest · On-site Investigation
Angel Oak Expedition
Three questions I brought
My prediction about shade
My drawing
Observations at the park
□ Sketch the real canopy □ Find three living things □ Spanish moss or resurrection fern? □ Compare shade vs. sun □ One observation as evidence