Build a Coconut Tree For Your Block Area



Collect Yoplait yogurt cups.  Clean and dry them.  Purchase brown spray
paint.  Make sure to purchase the kind that sticks to plastic.  Spray paint
the containers brown.  While they are drying, cut a 1/4" dowel stick into
3 1/4" segments.  You will need these to make the branches.  Print the leaf
pattern. Using green fun foam, cut three leaf pieces for each tree.  Cut up the
slit on the leaf.  Using a hot glue gun, place glue on each side of the slit.  Put one
end of the dowel onto the glue.  Then, squeeze the slit ends of the leaf around
 the dowel.  Use the picture below as your guide.  Repeat to make three leaves
for each tree.
Take one of your yogurt containers, rip a piece of brown duct tape and cover
the top of the container.  Rip another piece and place it on top.  Now take a
knife and "drill" three holes into the duct tape. 



Now put the pieces in your block area and let the children build trees.  Who can build their tree the tallest?

The tree shown only used three containers but it is suggested that you
paint a lot of containers to challenge the children to build their coconut tree
as tall as they are.  You can extend this into a math activity by graphing
how many containers tall each child is.
This is a great non traditional measuring activity.

Printable Leaf Pattern

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