Real vs. Fake—Which Christmas Tree is Better?
Articles/Websites
Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10Earth and Space Sciences
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Provided by The Nature Conservancy
What it is
- In this article from The Nature Conservancy, students will learn how real Christmas trees are a more sustainable choice than fake ones.
- The question-answer style article discusses why fake trees are less sustainable and addresses concerns over cutting down trees.
Teaching tips
Positives
- This article is brief and to the point while also explaining the reasoning behind the answer.
- Students will love the fun Christmas references throughout this article.
Prerequisites
- Teachers should be aware of the cultural makeup of their class and make sure not to alienate students who do not celebrate Christmas.
- It is also important for teachers to support students who may not have much control over their families' purchasing decisions and may be experiencing feelings of guilt and powerlessness.
- The article does not discuss the comparison if a family were to keep and reuse their fake tree for a long period of time, which could be something to research or have students discuss.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Before reading, teachers can have students answer the question the title poses and explain their reasoning. After reading, students can update or elaborate on their answers, citing information from the article.
- Have advanced students research if fertilizers and pesticides are used on tree farms or find out if they can be grown using regenerative practices.
- Students can create a diagram that shows the life cycle of real and fake Christmas trees, highlighting the environmental implications along the way. Have students discuss how many years a fake tree would need to be reused to make it more sustainable.
From the scientist review
This resource from The Nature Conservancy provides students with an article to compare real and artificial Christmas trees from an environmental perspective. The article also links to additional resources on forest conservation, natural climate solutions, and global reforestation efforts, providing students with ways to learn more and take action (such as through the Plant a Billion Trees campaign). While it doesn’t include original data or detailed life-cycle analyses, this resource would be a great addition to classroom discussions about sustainable choices.
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