Myths

The Century Forest

Riddle Story Summary

It is a forest of 100 trees. Each tree has 12 branches. Each branch has 4 twigs. Each twig has 7 white leaves and 7 black leaves.

What is it? (Answer: time)

About the Stories

This short riddle encourages thinking and cooperation among students. Because the forest symbolizes time measurements, it also provides a concrete and vivid model for abstract concepts.

👉 Discover the Story

Maths

Modeling, Calculation…
and a perfectly timed forest

👦🏻 Target Age: 6–7 years (Grade 2)

⏰ Estimated Duration:

📎 Materials:

🎯 Educational Objectives

Develop the following mathematical skills:

  • Calculate
  • Model

Develop the following social and personal skills:

  • Critical thinking (the proposed model is not exact but it is simple)

🔢 Mathematical Concepts

  • Counting

🟢 Activity 1. Calculations in the riddle

How many twigs are there on a tree? How many weeks are in a year?

💬 Teacher’s Notes

The Century Forest has one tree per year, each tree has one branch per month, one twig per week, with seven days and seven nights each. There are 12×4=48 twigs, but there are actually 52 weeks in a year. The model using 4 weeks per month is inaccurate but simple. Modeling involves making choices; here, between elegance and exactness. The current Gregorian calendar has a history, some regularities, but many complex and arbitrary exceptions.