Whenever possible students should handle real leaves, acorns, and cones. It will help them to remember the trees if they feel the softness of a hazel leaf, smell a bay leaf, touch the spikes on a tan oak acorn cap. The cones of Bishop pine and Monterey pine are too big to scan so they are not in this kit. Monterey pine cones are readily available year round. Students working on this kit should be shown a Monterey pine cone as this is on the test. (Bishop pine cones look quite similar and are not on the test.)
The tree test requires students to match cones/acorns/nuts etc. to the correct leaf as well as to name the tree.