What Happens If We Cut Down All of a City’s Trees?

• This animated video begins by comparing two ancient civilizations and explains why trees are crucial to humans in urban settings.
• Students will learn how trees filter water, store excess stormwater, filter pollutants from the air, stabilize soils, absorb and store carbon dioxide, provide shade to buildings and sidewalks, provide mental health benefits, and provide habitat to many species.

Positives

• This easy-to-understand video describes the benefits of trees that students may not be familiar with. It provides real-world examples from human history.
• Students can test their comprehension of the video with the interactive questions in the Think section and participate in guided discussions in the Discuss section.
• The Dig Deeper section provides students with an article that contains links for further exploration.

Additional Prerequisites

• Students should have some knowledge of photosynthesis and cellular respiration.

Differentiation

• History classes could use this video to open up a discussion about resource use in ancient civilizations. Students could discuss how different civilizations used ecosystem services.
• Elementary science classes could make a list of the benefits that trees provide to people, animals, and the ecosystem.
• Other resources on this topic include this video unit on urban trees, this Ecosia video about the benefits of trees, and this SubjectToClimate game on urban tree planting.

This resource addresses the listed standards. To fully meet standards, search for more related resources.