Ready, Set, Tech

Falling Leaves
Carol Langford, Avocado Elementary School, Miami, FL
Grade Level  Primary K-2
Subject Science and Mathematics
Background As the weather turns cooler most students recognize that leaves change colors. However, they don't know why. In this lesson the students will use the Internet to find out why leaves change color and then graph the most frequently found color in a class sample.
 
Objectives

To use online resources to create, revise, retrieve, and verify information
To describe and compares leaves

Materials Computer with Internet access, Leaf Graphing Work Sheet, crayons, leaf samples for each student
 
Procedure

  1. Take students on a nature walk around the school or neighborhood.

  2. Collect leaves of different colors and types over a 15-day time period. These will be used in the classroom as samples.

  3. Discuss what color leaves were found. Ask the students why the leaves change color. Record answers on a chart in the room.

  4. Ask students to visit the following book marked sites to check out why leaves change color:   
    Science Made Simple 
    Ask Jeeves for Kids   

  5. Have students compare the answers on the chart with the actual reason that leaves change color.

  6. Students should select ten leaves from the class samples.

  7. Students should classify their leaves by color and then begin graphing the leaf colors on the Leaf Graphing Work Sheet.

  8.  Graphs should be discussed by asking questions such as which color had the most, which color had the least?

Evaluation Students should be able to identify that leaves change color because the green chlorophyll disappears from the leaves as the days get shorter.