Object: Several "fronds" from a walnut tree.

Lesson: Faith, trust, change.

Holding up the walnut leaves I've brought, I ask the assembled children, "Does anyone know what kind of tree these are from?"

"Eucalyptus," Jerry suggests with a broad grin. He's one of the older children. I recognize his desire to emphasize that fact with his use of a strange, big word.

"Now that's a clever guess," I respond. "In fact, I think the eucalyptus tree does have leaves similar to this; but these are not eucalyptus leaves."

"Pine!" Mike then offers. He's too young to know that pine trees have needles.

"That's a good guess, Michael, but these leaves aren't from a pine tree either. Actually, they came off a walnut tree. An interesting thing about the walnut tree is that it is the last tree to get its …