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This is it Wass Wolves! Our last mystery reader to finish the book with us is our 1st grade teacher Ms. Pickelhaupt!! We hope you have enjoyed this book as much as we have. We have loved seeing all of the wishes that were placed our very own Wass Wishtree! Have a fun and safe spring break!!

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We are one day away from finishing our story! We can't wait to see how it ends. Kindergarten teacher Mrs. Kendall is here to read the next two chapters with us! Happy reading Wass Wolves!

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Wow Wass readers, we can't believe how close we are to finishing this book together! Here with us today to read our next chapters is Mrs. Cubitt! Happy reading!

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Here is Chapter 43 with Mrs. Maher!

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Happy Monday Wass Wolves! Kindergarten teacher Mrs. Maher is leading us in our chapters today! Grab your books and let's get started!

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2nd grade teacher Ms. LaRocca is our special mystery reader today! Happy reading and enjoy your weekend Wass Wolves!

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Happy St. Patrick's Day! I hope everyone is enjoying the warm weather and the half day! Mrs. Skinner is joining us today in chapters 33-34! Find a comfy spot, maybe somewhere outside, and read along!

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Happy Wednesday Wass Wolves! Wow, we are flying through this story! 3rd grade teacher Ms. Henderson is here to read the next set of chapters to us. Remember, reading is a gift and so are you!

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Guess who our mystery reader is today... none other than our 3rd grade teacher Mrs. Mui! Happy Tuesday and happy reading Wass Wolves!

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2nd grade teachers Mrs. Skinner and Mrs. Mayne are here to read us chapters 24-26! Settle in and enjoy the next part of Wishtree!

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Look who it is Wass Wolves! Ms. Puzzuoli is leading us in our next chapters today. Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

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Today's mystery reader is... kindergarten teacher Mrs. Belleville! Cozy up with your book and follow along! Happy reading!

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4th grade teacher Mrs. Marshall is taking us through chapters 15-17 today! Are you enjoying reading Wishtree with our mystery readers? We definitely are!

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Happy Tuesday Wass Wolves! Today our mystery reader is 4th grade teacher Mrs. Kelly! Happy reading everyone!

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Ms. Kellett is here to read chapters 11-12 with us! Pull out your books and follow along! Happy Monday!

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Ms. Fragomeni is our mystery reader today! Find a comfy spot and join us in chapters 8-10! Have a happy weekend Wass Wolves!

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Happy Thursday Wass Wolves! Our mystery reader today is 5th grade teacher Ms. Schwarz! We hope you like today's chapters!

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Mrs. Cubitt is our chapter 4 mystery reader! We hope you are enjoying Wishtree as much as we are.

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1st grade teacher Ms. Pickelhaupt is joining us for Chapter 3! Happy reading!

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4th grade teacher Mrs. Kelly is leading us in reading today! Get cozy and enjoy Chapter 2 Wass Wolves!

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Principal Jansen is here to read us chapter 1! Grab your books and follow along! Happy March 1st!

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Mrs. Cubitt is here to talk about Wishtree and kick off our book club for March is Reading Month!

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Check this calendar for all the daily activities and events!

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Want a sneak peek into our school wide book? Take a look at the trailer for Wishtree by Katherine Applegate!

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Use these discussion questions as your family reads the book together to help dig deeper into the story's wonderful message about life through the diverse characters in the book.

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Red talks about all the different kinds of wishes he has heard through the years. Discuss the differences and sort them in the chart below.

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Red shares the stories of families immigrating into the neighborhood through the years. Get out your markers, colored pencils, or any supplies you have to draw what you imagine the neighborhood looks like from the house's to the people! Have fun!

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What Makes You Say That? Visible Thinking Routine 

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What Makes You Say That? Visible Thinking Routine 

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I Used to Think... but Now I Think Visible Thinking Routine 

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I Used to Think... but Now I Think Visible Thinking Routine 

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Circle of Viewpoints Visible Thinking Routine

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Circle of Viewpoints Visible Thinking Routine

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Do you want to know more about Wishing Trees? Take a look at this article and explore how different cultures use them around the world!

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The Fascinating Cultural Trend of "Wish Trees"

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From Japan's tanabata festival, to the UK's coin trees, and Yoko Ono's "Wish tree" project - trees have played a special role in making our dreams come true. Some cultures make offerings and prayers to trees, believing them to be nature's deities.

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Learn about two communities in California that came together to create 8 wishing trees with more than 200 wishes sharing encouragement and hope!

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They can establish in mountainside crags with minimal soil or moisture, they can grow to hundreds of feet from humble seeds, and with their crowns in the heavens and roots beneath the earth, they remind us of the balance needed between our spiritual and physical lives.

In ancient times - and in places unconnected by land, language, or culture - the concept of wishing trees emerged. In 17th century Scotland, the practice took the form of hammering coins into the trunks of hawthorn trees after making a wish.

In ancient Japan, the ritual was gentler: for the Tanabata festival, people tied colorful papers with written wishes - or - to bamboo branches.

A similar tradition can be found in Turkey, while in Hong Kong wishes were tied to oranges that were cast into the canopy of trees. In North America, Native American tribes like the Lakota and Seminole hung colored prayer ties from a tree during the Sun Dance ceremony, with each color representing a different theme.

The practice of manifesting wishes using trees continues to this day, sometimes in traditional ways, but other times taking new forms.

In 1996, Yoko Ono, experimental artist and wife of the late musician John Lennon, set up a project called the WISH TREE. Her inspiration for the project was the wishing trees she saw at temples in Japan, where she grew up.

For the exhibit, she set up a tree, alongside which she placed pens, tags, and a note inviting visitors to write a wish for peace and tie it to the tree. Since this first exhibition, museums and institutions around the world have exhibited Ono's WISH TREE project, including Stanford campus in 2008. Visitors have written over half a million wishes, which Ono has collected and placed in the Wishing Well of the Imagine Peace Tower in Reykjavík, Iceland: a tower that she established in 2007 in honor of her late husband.

Her instructions from a 2014 installation read, "keep wishing until the branches are covered with wishes."

Ono has invited others around the world to join her in sharing their own visions of a better world.
In the uniting spirit of this project, the communities of East Palo Alto and Palo Alto have established wishing trees at several local sites together.
All of the wishes that are contributed during the project will be gathered at the end of October and sent to the Imagine Peace Tower Wishing Well, where they will be added to the collection of wishes from around the world.

Partners from both cities have come together to host the trees and spread the word, including the Cities of East Palo Alto and Palo Alto, Canopy, the Palo Alto Art Center, the Neighborhood Associations of Midtown and Ventura, and the Cubberley Community Center. Like-minded organizations and individuals working towards more just, equitable, and peaceful communities have also provided their support, including the Peninsula Peace and Justice Center (PPJC), Reach and Teach bookstore, Youth United for Community Action (YUCA), and EPA City Councilmember Lisa Gauthier.
As organizations that cherish community, we believe that there is power in coming together to manifest our shared vision for a better future.
Your strength and positivity amidst this difficult time have inspired us, and we want you to have a place to express the wishes that you have for your community.

Each of the wishing trees has materials for you to write your wishes on. You can use the map below to find the tree nearest you, or you can choose to visit all of the trees! We are thrilled that you've decided to take part in this project.

Visit a wishing tree near you and share your vision!*

The communities of East Palo Alto and Palo Alto have come together to set up wishing trees in both cities. Tie your wishes to the trees, and watch them fill up with the inspiring wishes and hopes of others.

Map instructions: Click on the orange trees on the map to see details and locations for the wishing trees. To use Google Maps to navigate to a tree, click the red arrow to the right of the site name. To return to the full map view after clicking on a tree, simply click on any other location on the map.
Digital Wishing Tree
If you can't visit a Wishing Tree in person, we'd still love for you to participate! Share your wishes digitally in the Community Wishing Trees Facebook Group, or with your own post using #CommunityWishingTrees.

Air Quality Advisory: Please check the air quality index (AQI) in your area before you venture to visit a Wishing Tree or spend time outdoors.

For questions or comments: please contact Vanessa Wyns at

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Thanks for Participating in the 2020 Wishing Tree Project! Wishing Trees Trees are a universal symbol of hope, life, and resilience. They can establish in mountainside crags with minimal soil or moisture, they can grow to hundreds of feet from humble seeds, and [...]

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Learn all about Yoko Ono's Wish Tree project to collect millions of wishes across the world.

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WISH TREES

"As a child in Japan, I used to go to a temple and write out a wish on a piece of thin paper and tie it around the branch of a tree. Trees in temple courtyards were always filled with people's wish knots, which looked like white flowers blossoming from afar."
Yoko Ono: 'All My Works Are A Form Of Wishing'

Yoko Ono's interactive artwork WISH TREE (1996) has been integral to many of her exhibitions around the world in museums and cultural centers where people have been invited to write their personal wishes for peace and tie them to a tree branch.

Yoko continues to collect all the wishes from her Wish Trees from all over the world - currently totaling over a million. They are preserved and their messages continue on in the Wishing Well of IMAGINE PEACE TOWER - to send their power out the world and to the Universe.

Interview with Yoko Ono

Q: When did the "Wish Tree" happen for the first time?
YO: I don't remember exactly when. It's after 1981, after John, my husband's passing.
Q: Every city could have a "Wish Tree!"
YO: When they did it in Finland they said one tree was not enough. Because the wish was becoming much larger than one tree.
They added so many trees it became like a mini-forest. You suddenly see very strong emotions of people coming out. It is fantastic. I'm keeping all the wishes from all the countries, although I never read any of them. I feel it's not right to read people's private wishes.
Q: It's a growing archive?
YO: It's not an archive. I'll tell you what's going to happen: every piece of paper has a wish on it, I don't read it, and all of them will be put in one big tower of a sculpture, like a totem. It will be a very powerful sculpture... a tower which contains wishes of the
people of the world of our time. All in one tower!
Q: In terms of the energy!
YO: Yes. People's wishes! So that's why I'm keeping them.

Interview with Yoko Ono, 1996

"I have saved all the wishes people made and hung on my work, called 'Wish Tree' in many different countries. The number of those wishes I collected and kept has now reached over a million. They are preserved and their messages continue on in the Wishing Well of IMAGINE PEACE TOWER - to send their power out the world and to the Universe. I hope IMAGINE PEACE TOWER will give light to the strong wishes of World Peace from all corners of the planet and give encouragement, inspiration and a sense of solidarity in a world now filled with fear and confusion. Let us come together to realize a peaceful world. I consider myself very fortunate to see the dream my husband and I dreamed together become reality."

Yoko Ono, 2007

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WISH TREES "As a child in Japan, I used to go to a temple and write out a wish on a piece of thin paper and tie it around the branch of a tree. Trees in temple courtyards were always filled with people's wish knots, which looked like white flowers blossoming from afar."

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A fun way to make your own Wishtree using construction paper!

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Before I share more, I need to say that a lot of our
crafting is experimental. Sometimes I find something
very exciting on a blog or in a book or magazine, but
my blog surfing is very limited, thanks to my children's
tendency to climb all over me the minute I sit down in
front of the computer. So we make up a lot of our
projects. Many of my hare-brained ideas are inspired
by my kids' play, but the techniques are what I remember
from old books or what I've picked up hanging out with
Dad. Quite a few of these projects never make it beyond
a fancy notion in my head, but some end up happy
accidents that might even be worth sharing here.
This is one of them.

So, as I was saying, we made trees.

Trees are tall and have a high center of gravity,
so they need a stable-ish stand. I had one of those
triangular cheeses-in-circular boxes in my fridge,
so I used that. I also made a flat cone out of a cereal
box. I cut a small hole in the middle, and slits
around it, to hold the tree trunk.

Twisting the branches instead of just folding them, to get a gnarled look. This did not work well at all with construction paper (too fragile) but I'm thinking it would be awesome with cardstock.

Making the tree with cardstock instead of construction paper.

Other tree denizens: squirrels, birds, vines, parasitic ferns, wasps, monkeys.

Other tree accessories: bird feeder, tree house, tire swing.

Sticking real nuts (like acorns) on the branches.

Flowers (or mulch) around the base of the trunk.

Different shapes of leaves (and tree foliage) for different tree species. If we had one of those craft punches for maple or oak leaves, we'd have had so much fun.

Different colors of leaves in the fall.

Different fruit.

Different flowers.

Palm/Papaya type trees - long trunks and big leaves at the top.

We used two and a half (save the left-over half)
sheets of brown construction paper, laid short-end-
to-short-end and glued into a long strip. This we
rolled into a many-layered roll, like wrapping paper.
Ours was about 1.5" in diameter (approx).
Deep (about two-thirds way down) slits were cut
through all the layers so that
each section was about an inch wide.

(Optional) If you want a taller tree, with branches that
begin farther up from the ground, roll the leftover half
sheet of construction paper around the bottom of the trunk.

Some interesting questions were asked, like,
"what sort of fruit tree do birds and bees
like to build nests in?"
A good discussion would have followed, had we not
had to stop to have lunch and drive Emily to school.

Some tips - if you do this with your own kids:

1. Do as much of the prep work beforehand. Cut out enough leaves, fruit, animals etc. for everyone. Make nests, swings etc. Roll the trunks and cut the slits. Make the stands. Especially if you have several excited kids of varying ages, save just the leaf- or fruit-stitcking for the actual activity.

2. White glue works well for sticking leaves and fruit and the kids got a lot of practice with glue control.

3. Use a faster (and stronger) drying glue for the trunk. I used UHU, and I (not the kids) dispensed it.

4. Let the kids tell you what animals live in the tree, where on the branches the leaves grow (let them look out the window at a real tree), what different shapes trees have, how much foliage the tree should have (sparse/dense). They have the best ideas!

And finally, a master materials-list (for each tree):

Three sheets brown construction paper (or similar)

Double-sided paper in different shades of green for leaves (construction paper works)

Double-sided paper in different colors for fruit, animals and other tree embellishments (or use foam sheets)

Tissue paper, shredded paper or fake grass for grass

Brown paper bag for beehive, crushed up

Natural raffia for nest

Scraps of foam sheets for eggs

String for swing

Corrugated cardboard (or balsa wood) for swing seat

Pliable cardboard for stand (a cereal box works well) or circular cheese box

Scissors

White glue

Strong craft adhesive

Craft (X-acto) knife

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Before I share more, I need to say that a lot of ourcrafting is experimental. Sometimes I find somethingvery exciting on a blog or in a book or magazine, butmy blog surfing is very limited, thanks to my children'stendency to climb all over me the minute I sit down infront of the computer.

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Another way to make your very own Wishtree is to use Pipe Cleaners! Time to get creative!

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Take a look at what these kids decided to do after reading Wishtree. They found a different way to spread hope and encouragement to others around them!

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Making Our Own WISHTREE (Katherine Applegate) | BOOK BISCUIT

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Dive into the true story of enviromental activist Kate Sessions, who helped transform San Diego into a lush, green city known for its parks and gardens!

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Listen and learn about the importance of trees and what they do for our environment!

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Read about the different stages a tree goes through as they transform from tiny seeds into beautiful trees!

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Trees are a beautiful asset; that is no secret. But in addition to their beauty, they are also essential for life. We here at Mr. Tree Services want you to not only fall in love with trees because of their beauty, but we want you to appreciate them, respect them, and know about them even better.

We promise that if you continue reading this, it will not feel like you are back in your elementary school science class. We just want to you help you better understand your trees, and provide a newfound appreciation for these beautiful forms of life.

Let's start with ancient trees, to provide you with a bit of a fun fact that you may not have already known. Ancient trees arose from the sea. Because of this, they are very dependent on water. Makes sense, doesn't it? Well, this is why the root system of a tree has its own water-collection system. This is how trees can sustain life.

Now, let's explore the different parts of trees and their necessities even further. Don't worry; there are plenty of more, new fun facts below that we are excited to share!

Did you know that one tree can drop hundreds or even thousands of seeds? Woah! This may seem like a lot, and many of you may be thinking to yourself "how are there not more trees everywhere because of this?" Well, fun fact time! Many of the seeds that fall do not make it into the ground. Instead, a lot are eaten by insects or other animals.

Additionally, some seeds may fall onto terrain where it is not possible for a tree to grow, like ground that is too dry, too hard or does not have any soil or dirt. However, for those seeds that do fall in the perfect spot - or those seeds that are planted by people in the perfect spot - germination will occur. As each seed contains an embryo, this embryo will expand once the soil is watered.

Everyone knows what the root of a tree is, but did you know that roots have "hair?" These hairs are what grow longer and larger in order to find and absorb moisture. Additionally, root "hairs" are what provide the structural support of the tree by wrapping themselves and becoming intertwined within the grains of soil. They're called roots for a reason, as they root themselves as anchors into the ground.

Another fun fact for all of you is that roots do not extend as far into the ground as you likely think they do. The majority of roots are actually found within the top 18 inches of soil - yes, less than two feet deep! If this was not surprising enough, over half of these roots are found in even shallower ground, within the top six inches of soil. Now that's shallow!

Many people enjoy the beauty of tree trunks, but they are so much more than just aesthetically appealing. Trunks are critical for the survival of the tree. Not only do tree trunks provide limb support for the tree itself, but they also are the transporting source from the roots to the leaves in terms of nutrients and moisture. Because of this, as the tree grows, the trunk needs to grow as well in terms of length and size in order to find sustainable sunlight and moisture.

Did you also know that the tree trunk bark holds a critical role as well? The tree trunk bark is a form of protection. Think of it as the armor that knights used to wear before going into battle; that is the same job that the tree trunk bark does for the entire tree.

A tree's health is based upon the condition in which the tree trunk bark is in. This health worsens due to environmental conditions, storms, pathogens, and damage from insects and animals. Do not let this scare you off from planting your own tree though, as your trusty tree service in Portland, Oregon is here to help you.

Some people refer to the leaves and branches (and reproduction structures) of a tree as the tree's crowns. How majestic! The tree bud is what the reproduction structure mostly consists of, as a tree bud is essentially a group of growing tissue. This tissue then turns into embryonic leaves, flowers, and so on. Buds, additionally, are responsible for branch growth, flower formation, and leaf formation as well.

Another fun fact for all of you - the growth of the limb and branch buds are what determines the shape of a tree crown, its size, and its height. It's also important to note that buds do not only hold leaves. Some buds can have flowers instead, and some buds even have both leaves and flowers!

Now that we know about the main parts of a tree, there are a couple of other things that we would like to share with you as they are important aspects to the science behind tree growing. Trees do not just grow up, to a higher height. They also grow out and grow down as well. As alluded to above, tree trunks and branches both grow out and grow thicker. Roots grow down, forming the structural support needed for the tree.

You have also probably heard that reading the rings of a tree's bark is how you can tell the age of a tree, and this is true. The rings tell you the age the tree was when cut. One last fun fact for you all is that the rings can also tell you when the tree grew the fastest or slowest. When the tree is growing fast, tree rings are wider. This also means that the tree had plenty of space to grow, and plenty of light and water as well. When the rings of the tree are narrower, it means that at the time, the trees were likely crowded, or there was environmental stress on the tree such as drought or a storm. Finally, tree rings can even tell us of insect or animal attacks and fire scars as well.

Now that you know all about the science of growing a tree, please share your new knowledge with your friends. Plus, knowing how a tree grows, and what it needs to properly survive, will help you become a better tree owner or grower. Just remember that we here at Mr. Tree, your local tree service in Portland, Oregon, are just a phone call away and always willing to discuss trees with you!

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The Science Behind How Trees Grow | Mr. Tree, Inc.

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Trees are a beautiful asset; that is no secret. But in addition to their beauty, they are also essential for life. We here at Mr. Tree Services want you to not only fall in love with trees because of their beauty, but we want you to appreciate them, respect them, and know about them even better.

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Just like "Red" from the story, this article talks all about Oak trees and what makes them special! While you read, try to think about some reasons why the author chose a Red Oak tree to be the Wishtree in the story. What other facts did you learn?

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The oak tree is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus. There are about 600 living species. The common name "oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, such as Lithocarpus.

The genus Quercus is native to the Northern Hemisphere. It includes deciduous and evergreen species from cool temperate to tropical latitudes in Asia and the Americas. North America has the largest number of oak species: about 90 occur in the United States. Mexico has 160 species, of which 109 are endemic. The second greatest center of oak diversity is China, which has about 100 species.

Oaks have spirally arranged leaves, with rounded edges in many species; some have leaves with jagged edges or entire leaves with smooth margins. Many deciduous species do not drop dead leaves until spring. In spring, a single oak tree produces both male flowers (as catkins) and small female flowers. The fruit is a nut called an acorn, carried in a cup-like structure. Each acorn has one seed (rarely two or three) and takes 6-18 months to mature, depending on species. The so-called "live oaks" are evergreen. They are not a taxonomic group, just a life style which occurs across the genus.

The oak is a kind of hardwood forest tree. They are well-known for being a climax vegetation in the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere. What that means is, left untouched by humans, it would be the dominant tree. Much of England was covered by oak forests before modern farming took over the land. The last extensive oak woodlands were cut down to build ships for the Royal Navy in the 18th century.

Some kinds of oak wood are very hard. A lot of furniture was made from oak wood, but the wood is now scarce and expensive. Much cheaper are softwoods like pine.

Oak trees can live up to 1000 years.

Associated animals

A mature oak tree stands about 100 feet tall (~30 metres). It is a home for more animals than any other European tree. 30 species of birds, 45 different bugs and over 200 species of moth have been found on oaks. Beetles burrow under the bark, and some drill holes into the wood. The leaves are eaten by many caterpillars. Many leaves carry strange little bumps on the underside. These are insect galls, caused by many little animals. Midges, moths, worms and tiny wasps lay their eggs in leaves or leaf buds. The leaf reacts by forming a growth around the eggs. Inside the gall, larvae develop. The leaf falls, but the larvae may come out only the next spring. Small galls only have one larva, but larger galls may contain as many as 30 larvae.
Main article:Acorn
Oak trees produce acorns once a year which ripen in autumn. Oak trees may start producing acorns when they are about 20 years old. A mature oak may produce 90,000 acorns a year; this is several millions in its lifetime.

Oak wood has a density of about 0.75 g/ (0.43 oz/cu in) creating great strength and hardness. The wood is very resistant to insect and fungal attack because of its high tannin content. It also has very appealing grain markings, particularly when quartersawn. Oak planking was common on high status Viking longships in the 9th and 10th centuries. The wood was hewn from green logs, by axe and wedge, to produce radial planks, similar to quarter-sawn timber. Wide, quarter-sawn boards of oak have been prized since the Middle Ages for use in interior panelling of prestigious buildings such as the debating chamber of the House of Commons in London and in the construction of fine furniture. Oak wood, from Quercus robur and Quercus petraea, was used in Europe for the construction of ships, especially naval men of war, until the 19th century, and was the principal timber used in the construction of European timber-framed buildings. Today oak wood is still commonly used for furniture making and flooring, timber frame buildings, and veneer production.

Barrels in which wines, sherry, and spirits such as brandy, Irish whiskey, Scotch whisky and Bourbon whiskey are aged are made from European and American oak, with single barrel whiskey fetching a premium. The use of oak in wine can add many different dimensions to wine based on the type and style of the oak. Oak barrels, which may be charred before use, contribute to the colour, taste, and aroma of the contents, imparting a desirable oaky vanillin flavour to these drinks. The great dilemma for wine producers is to choose between French and American oakwoods. French oaks ( Quercus robur, Q. petraea) give the wine greater refinement and are chosen for the best wines since they increase the price compared to those aged in American oak wood. American oak contributes greater texture and resistance to ageing, but produces more powerful wine bouquets. Oak wood chips are used for smoking fish, meat, cheeses, and other foods.

Japanese oak is used in the making of professional drums from the manufacturer Yamaha Drums. The higher density of oak gives the drum a brighter and louder tone compared to traditional drum materials such as maple and birch. In hill states of India, besides fuelwood and timber, the local people use oak wood for making agricultural implements. The leaves are used as fodder during lean period and bedding for livestock.

The bark of the cork oak is used to produce wine stoppers (corks). This species grows in the Mediterranean Sea region, with Portugal, Spain, Algeria, and Morocco producing most of the world's supply.

Of the North American oaks, the northern red oak is one of the most prized of the red oak group for lumber, much of which is marketed as red oak regardless of the species of origin. It is not good for outdoor use due to its open capillaries unless the wood is treated. If the wood is properly treated with preservatives, it will not rot as quickly as cured white oak heartwood. The closed cell structure of white oaks prevents them from absorbing preservatives. With northern red oak, one can blow air through an end grain piece 10 inches long to make bubbles come out in a glass of water. These openings give fungus easy access when the finish deteriorates. Shumard oak, a member of the red oak subgenus, provides timber which is described as "mechanically superior" to northern red oak. Cherrybark oak is another type of red oak which provides excellent timber.

The standard for the lumber of the white oak group - all of which is marketed as white oak - is the Quercus alba. White oak is often used to make wine barrels. The wood of the deciduous pedunculate oak and sessile oak accounts for most of the European oak production, but evergreen species, such as Holm oak and cork oak also produce valuable timber.

The bark of the white oak is dried and used in medical preparations. Oak bark is also rich in tannin, and is used by tanners for tanning leather. Acorns are used for making flour or roasted for acorn coffee.

Oak galls were used for centuries as a main ingredient in iron gall ink, a kind of manuscript ink, harvested at a specific time of year. In Korea, oak bark is used to make shingles for traditional roof construction.

Related pages

Images for kids

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The oak tree is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus . There are about 600 living species. The common name "oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, such as Lithocarpus. The genus Quercus is native to the Northern Hemisphere.

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After researching Wishing Trees, write about the different things you have learned. Keep these questions in mind as you write:
How are Wish Trees different throughout the world?
What are some of the many ways Wish Trees are used?
Why are they important to the people who place wishes on them?
What are some ways wishes can come true?
Happy writing!

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On February 3, 2021, The New York Public Library will be joining Scholastic, LitWorld, football champion, and literacy advocate Malcolm Mitchell, along with families and classrooms around the world, in celebrating World Read Aloud Day, which highlights both the importance of reading aloud and the many benefits that come from it! Created 12 years ago by LitWorld, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing people together through stories, and sponsored by Scholastic, the global children's publishing, education, and media company, World Read Aloud Day is celebrated across the globe.

Making reading a pleasurable habit is one of the most important things you can do for the child or children in your life and sets them up for lifelong readership. Here are the top 10 tips for reading aloud according to our librarians.

1. All reading is good reading.

That includes books with commercial characters, comics, and nonfiction.

2. Find a comfortable space to read together.

The love of reading is built around our cultural connection to books and hearing stories. Being in a cozy environment while reading will help create those loving connections. It's also good to carry a book with you wherever you go-reading in a crowded space like a busy subway can soothe and distract.

3. Slow down.

It takes time to process what's happening on the page. You can pause on a page to look more closely at pictures before turning the page.

4. Ask and answer questions together.

If you come across a word or concept your child or students don't know, ask them what they think it means. And if you don't know, it's OK to say that! Explore unknowns together: these moments are opportunities to discuss the book and what is happening in connection to the world around us and capitalize on curiosity.

5. Be yourself.

You don't have to be an entertainer while you're reading a great book! This is especially true when reading one-on-one with a child. The bond already exists and the moment is special because it is your voice.

6. Read ahead!

Rhythm and meter are part of the magic of storytelling, so a little pre-reading can make a big difference. Flip through the pages before you start so you know what happens in the story and can check that it's appropriate for your audience and moment. This will help you identify key moments for social-emotional learning.

7. Embrace wordless picture books.

Books without words are an opportunity for you and your child to invent a new story each time. Wordless picture books are also a great opportunity to think and talk about what is happening-and to predict what will happen next!

8. Don't worry about age or grade level.

Even if a book isn't entirely age-appropriate or seems a little advanced, you can still try reading different parts of it each time. You also don't need to rush into bigger books because they are labeled as being more age-appropriate. If you're looking for your next great read, take this opportunity to explore lists like the Scholastic 2021 World Read Aloud Day Book Picks and our list of 2020's Best Books for Kids for favorites old and new.

9. You don't have to finish a book.

Don't make reading a chore! Sometimes the best thing to do is to stop. If your audience is running around or not interested, come back to it later or ditch it entirely! You can even come back to it much later: revisiting stories at a later age can create an entirely new and wonderful experience.

10. Make reading aloud part of your routine.

This is especially valuable for our littlest ones, who crave structure for comfort and early learning. Make bedtime or tummy time a good time for reading. Plus, if children see you reading, you're modeling great reading behavior that sets the foundation for future readership.

We look forward to celebrating World Read Aloud Day with you on February 3, 2021! To learn more, visit the:

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Making reading a pleasurable habit is one of the most important things you can do for a child to set them up for lifelong readership. To celebrate World Read Aloud Day, our librarians are sharing some of their best advice for reading aloud with children.

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Take a listen to this collection of quick, informative podcasts that talk about tips when reading aloud.

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Reading aloud changes lives, unites schools, and transforms communities.

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Christine explains ways a parent can model being a super engaged reader while reading to their own child. She offers a demonstration with a quick example read aloud, asking questions and thinking aloud.

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Reflecting on Mirror and Window Stories 

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Reflecting on Mirror and Window Stories 

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Teachers College Reading and Writing Project

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