Celebrate Arbor Day April 30th!

The first Arbor Day took place on April 10, 1872 in Nebraska. It was the brainchild of Julius Sterling Morton (1832-1902), a Nebraska journalist and politician originally from Michigan.  Throughout his long and productive career, Morton worked to improve agricultural techniques in his adopted state and throughout the United States when he served as President Grover Cleveland's Secretary of Agriculture. But his most important legacy is Arbor Day. 

~ Trees absorb pollution from the air ~

~ Trees make oxygen, which we need to breathe. ~

~ Trees stop soil erosion, prevents floods, and filter water ~

~ Trees create food and provide protection from the wind ~

~ Trees provide home, shelter, and food for birds and other wildlife ~

~ Fallen tree leaves eventually turn into soil, for other plants to grow in ~

~ Trees provide shade to keep our houses, schools and cities cooler ~

~ Shaded buildings need less energy for air conditioning. ~

~ Trees reduce noise pollution. ~

Trees provide:

nuts, fruit,

wood,

paper,

syrup,

cork, soap,

paint, film,

polish, lotions,

medicine, dyes,

pencils, crayons,

toothpaste, perfume,

~and 5,000 other products~

Arbor Tree by Ruth Fritts for HotChalk
Find Lesson Plans here.
Visit ArborDay.org for more info on this holiday.