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Title of Lesson:
Discovering Leaf Patterns
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Goal: To
demonstrate the different types of leaf patterns by creating leaf
rubbings. Learning
Objectives:
Students will: NJ
Core Content Science Standards: In
order for young children to understand that leaves possess different
vein patterns, they must engage in a hands-on activity so they will be
able to actually see and feel the veins in the leaves. By giving
students a material object to study, they become more familiar with the
lesson and develop a deeper understanding of the material. Science
Standards: 5.7
All students will investigate the diversity of life. # 2 Develop
a simple classification scheme for grouping organisms. #4 Identify and
describe external features of plants and animals that help them survive
in varied habitats. Materials: Prior
to the experiment, students learn that each leaf has a different vein
pattern, much like each of our hands.
Not everyone’s hands look the same; leaves are no different.
The students examine their hands for a minute, then compare their
hand to their partners – are the patterns of lines on their hands the
same or are they a little different?
Students will then be asked if they think that everyone’s
leaves possess similar patterns or different patterns.
Does each leaf look the same?
This is when the teacher will draw pictures of the three
different vein patterns in leaves on the board, and the students will be
asked to examine them. Names
for each pattern will be provided with associations to help children
remember (palm – like the
hand, parallel, like railroad
tracks) After looking at the patterns students will describe the
differences and similarities and teacher can write ideas on experience
chart paper. Exploration
Students
will begin experiment by placing their leaf face down (the veins should
be facing up) on their desks and then placing the piece of white
construction paper on top of the leaf.
Next, without moving the leaf, the students choose a color,
preferably fall colors, and begin coloring over the leaf with the side
of the crayon, not the end.
Make sure the crayons are peeled. They should press firmly so
that the vein pattern shows up well on the paper.
Ask students questions like, What is happening to as you color
your leaf’s pattern? Are
you able to see the veins in the leaf show up on your paper?
After the students make their leaf rubbing, ask them to record on
their composition paper what vein pattern their leaf has. Ask them to write down if their leaf’s pattern looks like
their partner’s leaf pattern. What
makes them different from each other; what makes them the same? The class can now discuss with each other what they have
learned about vein patterns from doing the leaf rubbing experiment.
Why do leaves have veins, and what is their function?
Discuss their results, encourage the students to ask questions in
order to understand vein patterns more.
Children can also color and decorate the rest of their piece of
paper in a fall scene for classroom display. Application As
a follow-up lesson, students can also be introduced to leaf edges. See: http://www.edc.org/CCT/AMNH/handbk/leaves/leaves.html
for shapes and structures in addition to leaf veins. Students can
also create various collages using their leaf rubbings for decoration in
the classroom and at home. Students can also be encouraged to find more
leaves at home, and repeat the activity on their own time to identify
different leaf veins, and to stress the understanding that every leaf is
different. http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrepro/lessonplans/ect/classact1097.htm http://gonewengland.about.com/library/coloring/blfallcoloringpages.htm http://gonewengland.about.com/library/puzzles/nleafcloseuppuzzle.htm Students
will enjoy the coloring page and puzzles. Leaf patterns can be
identified here as well. Student
Product: Worksheet
(below), leaf rubbing Assessment: Students will be observed while they complete the leaf rubbing activity, and will be evaluated on their ability to identify the vein pattern in their leaf, and name each pattern. The students will also be asked what the characteristics of each leaf pattern are. Their written responses to their leaf patterns will be evaluated for level of understanding, and how well they expressed their observations.
First,
I called on some children to tell me what they saw in their leaf.
Many children were able to identify the vein pattern in the leaf,
and also tell me about its characteristics.
Then I asked the children to switch leaves with their partner
sitting next to them. They
switched leaves and began to examine it and then tell me about its
characteristics and how it was different from the first leaf.
The students were very anxious to tell me all about their leaf
and its vein pattern, and what they thought of the leaf.
After discussing various different leaves, I asked the children
to place their leaf on the white sheet of paper, leaving room for a
second leaf. I had to be
sure they placed the leaf vein side down on the paper in order for the
leaf to be traced correctly. Then
I walked around the room and taped the leaves to the paper so it would
be easier for the students to color.
I then told them to turn the paper over and choose a crayon for
coloring. Before they began
to even choose a crayon, I told them that it must be one without any
paper on it because they need to use the side of it to color the leaf.
Some children did not listen and began coloring with the
crayon’s tip. I quickly
stopped them and repeated myself several more times.
Many children called me over to them and were very excited to see
the veins show through the paper after coloring.
They clearly could see the veins and understand how well they
stood out on the paper. After they finished the first leaf, they switched with their
partners again, and repeated the coloring process. Overall,
this lesson went very well, and the children all were able to identify
the three leaf patterns and discuss the characteristics of each kind,
and of their own leaf. The
tracings came out very well also, and the children seemed very proud of
their work. They were all
anxious to show me their pictures and tell me about the leaves they
used. After they were
finished coloring their vein patterns and discussing them with their
partners, I asked several students to come up to the board and draw a
picture of the pinnate, palmate, and parallel vein patterns in leaves.
Each student knew how to draw the patterns, and all were able to
tell me something about each one, and what their purpose was in the
leaf. During the lesson,
the students were well behaved and I did not have to repeat many
directions. They were all
very thrilled to be doing a project with leaves, especially since they
were all different colors because of the season.
If
I were to do this again, I may ask the students ahead of time to bring
in a leaf of their choice, and to examine the leaf before coming to
school that day. Also, I
could take the class outside and allow them to search for their own
leaf, if time permits, and if the school’s property had many trees or
leaves on the ground. Other
than that, I do feel the lesson went smoothly, and hopefully the
children learned a little more about leaves and about the purpose of the
veins in the leaves. The worksheet below can be printed out and used with grades 2, 3. Science writing is an important skill for young children to start practicing. |
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Name_______________________ Date________________
Lab Sheet – Discovering Leaf Patterns Directions: Answer the following questions in complete sentences, or draw a picture for your answer when you are asked to do so. Using your
leaves: 1. List the properties of your leaf, such as color, size, shape, and the vein pattern (pinnate, palmate, or parallel).
2. What part of the leaf rubbing was the easiest to see and why? 3. Draw a picture in each box of a leaf with a pinnate vein pattern, a palmate vein pattern, and a parallel vein pattern. |
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| 4) Describe the difference between the 3 vein patterns
that you drew.
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