What's in a Tree?
Count all the different types of trees you see out the window while you're stopped for lunch or dinner. Unless you're an expert in botany, you probably won't know what the different names are, but you can still notice the number of different types.
If you see a “forest” with trees that are very, very evenly spaced, it's probably a planted or “planned” forest. Those trees may have been planted there to block the wind, make a house more private, or to sell later for lumber.
If you have a tree guide from a library or bookstore, you can try to identify different specific trees. Note the latitude that you're driving at and see if the tree is native to the region you're in.
WORDS to KNOW
botany: The science and study of plants and plant life. If you study botany, you'll learn why apple trees grow in the north, orange trees grow in the south, and cacti grow in the desert.
latitude: A number that tells you where you are between the equator (latitude 0°) and either the North or South poles (latitude 90°). For example, Minneapolis, Minnesota, is at 45° latitude, exactly halfway between the equator and the North Pole.
