Tree of the Month (formerly Tree of the Week) showcases some of the biggest and most beautiful trees in the GTA, as compiled by Megan Ogilvie. Here, Linda Da Costa, a teacher-librarian and a small group of Grade 5 and Grade 7 students from Hawthorn Public School in Mississauga, tell us about a massive white oak tree that grows in their schoolyard and which holds a special place in their hearts. After their short essay, the five students each share their favourite memory of the oak.

Hawthorn’s great white oak tree has been a centrepiece of our school ever since the building opened its doors more than 60 years ago.

The tree, which measures 4.38 m (14 feet, 4 inches) in circumference, is thought to be at least 200 years old.

The oak tree is not only a piece of history, it gives food and shelter to dozens of squirrels, birds nest in its branches and coyotes live in the forests around it. We sometimes view the wildlife with awe from our classroom windows.

Our white oak tree is also home to the school’s outdoor classroom, which is made up of 12 large rocks placed in a semicircle near its trunk as our seats.

During the sunny, warm months, teachers can use the space for their lessons and students bask in the shade of the massive oak branches. This beautiful space is popular with our teachers; many like to use it as a setting for art classes as it’s a wonderful example of wilderness in the city.

During the school year, kids of all ages play on the giant roots of the majestic tree. We like to climb its roots or search on the ground for fallen pieces of the tree, including acorns and leaves.

The big and towering tree is the symbol for our school, as well as our logo, and it’s a popular backdrop for photos.

The oak tree’s beauty is also more than just its colours. Our oak tree is always listening. It’s not like a rock that just sits on the street; it listens and waves its leaves as life courses through it.

Our tree has heard us grow up under its leaves, but it does not judge us. It listens, silent yet strong.

Kian Diggle, Grade 7: “Last spring, my friends and I played at the oak tree. We took a tennis ball and threw it up into its branches. We watched it bounce around the branches like a pinball, and then we all tried to be the first to catch the ball when it came down. That’s one of my most-treasured memories with Hawthorn’s oak.”

Reena Chen, Grade 5: “There was a time in Grade 3 when my friends and I were playing catch near the oak tree, and our bean bag got stuck on one of the huge, thick branches. Luckily, we had another bean bag and tried to use the second one to knock the first one down. Well, the second one also got stuck up on a big branch!”

Sammy Boluch, Grade 7: “I remember the first time the outdoor classroom opened for the school to use in the spring of 2016. When it was our class’s turn, we were so excited to have our drama lesson beneath the branches of the great tree.”

Belen Rodriguez Blua, Grade 5: “After it rained in the winter, when the ground froze around the oak, I remember sliding around the ice as if I were on skates with my friends. With skating, also comes falling, and the oak tree’s roots were perfect for righting yourself. It was incredibly fun!”

Andrew Martins, Grade 7: “In Grade 4, my friends and I were building a snow fort beside the tree, and we used its trunk as one of the foundation walls. The snow that fell in between each of the roots was already compacted into blocks. It was as though the tree was helping us to build our best snow fort ever!”

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