What's inside a tree? The ideas of five year-old children

Children discover the world surrounding them from very early childhood, as they observe, listen and experience what is in their everyday environment. Plants, and trees in particular, are usually accessible and likely to be noticed because they are very common in our landscape. Whilst observing living things, these children construct a mental model, which stays in their minds and may influence their development. Fifty­seven children, aged 5, from a kindergarten in Poznan (Poland) were asked to draw what they thought was inside a tree. Children drew both internal and external structures on a drawing of a tree. Our research showed that the conceptions of these children about trees varied. Moreover, they did not always consider trees as living organisms. Since 5 year­olds are pre­school children, early years teachers should focus on such ideas in order to help the children develop positive attitudes towards nature and an understanding of prominent plants in the environment.