Grades : 3 - 5

Essential Academic Learning Requirements:

Reading:                  1. The student understands and uses different skills and strategies to read.

1.2 build vocabulary through reading

Communication:    1. The student uses listening and observation skills to gain understanding.

1.1 focus attention

1.2 listen and observe to gain and interpret information

1.3 check for understanding by asking questions and paraphrasing

Science:                   2. The student knows and applies the skill and processes of science and technology.

2.1 develop abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry

2.2 apply science knowledge and skills to solve problems or meet challenges

Arts:                          1. The student acquires the knowledge and skills necessary to create, to perform, and to respond effectively to the arts.

1.3 use and develop arts skills and techniques to solve problems and express ideas

1.4 use skills of craftsmanship to produce quality work

4. The student understands how the arts connect to other subject areas, life, and work.

4. 1 use arts skills and knowledge in other subject areas

4.2 apply ideas and skills developed in the arts to daily life

VOCABULARY:

anthocyanin: a water-soluble red to blue plant pigment

carotene: orange-yellow pigment located in the chloroplasts

pigment: any substance that absorbs light, the color of the pigment coming from the the wavelengths of light reflected

chlorophyll: green pigment in green plants

xanthophyll: a yellow to colorless photosynthetic plant pigment

Activity One: Separating Plant Pigments - reinforces the information about plant pigments learned in the Function of Leaves.   

Materials Needed: 
    - acetone or acetone based fingernail polish remover
    - glass jars  
    - coffee filter paper  
    - coffee grinder  
    - selection of tree leaves of various colors

Procedure: Collect leaves of different colors.  This is best done in the fall when the leaves are changing color, but can be done during the spring and summer with different colored leaves from various types of trees.  Grind one or two leaves of each type separately and place the ground material in separate small glass jars, such as baby food jars or fish bait jars.  Saturate the ground up leaf material with acetone.  Cut pie- shaped pieces of coffee filters with round edge about 2 - 3 inches wide.  Place one piece of paper in each jar with the pointed ends of pieces in the acetone in the jars. Only submerge the tip of the paper. Let the paper rest on the side of the jar as the acetone moves up the paper.  The plant pigments will travel up the paper with the acetone.  Separation of the pigments will be complete in about 15 to 10 minutes or less.

Caution!: Acetone vapors are harmful.  It is suggested to do this activity outdoors on in a very well-ventilated location away from your students.

Caution!: Acetone reacts with plastic and will melt plastic jars and other items.  Be careful not to get this on any plastic surfaces or on plastic eyeglass lenses.  We recommend setting the jars in glass baking dish before pouring the acetone into them.

Questions:

What (colors) pigments do you think will appear?
Which ones appeared first?
Which pigments did appear?
Which pigments didn’t appear?
Will the pigments be different at different times of year? [Yes, especially with different colors of leaves in the fall]

Activity Two: Drying Leaves - reinforces the differences in leaves and plant characteristics  introduced in Identifying Trees and the information about plant pigments learned in the Function of Leaves

Materials Needed:       - white craft glue
- newspaper or phone books for leaf drying  
- tree leaves  
- paper mache boxes, glass candle holders  
- acrylic finishing spray (optional)  
- gold spray paint (optional)  
- bucket with water (optional)

Procedure: Collect tree leaves. Colorful autumn leaves are great but green leaves are fine too.  Press and dry them by placing in between layers of newspaper or between the pages of a book (old phone books work great).  Place them in a warm place to dry. In about two weeks or less you will have nice flat, dry leaves

You can use the dried leaves in a variety of ways, such as decorating paper mache boxes or glass candle holders.  Do this by applying a wash of diluted white glue to the surface of the material to be decorated.  Place the leaves where you want them to go.  Wash the outer surface of the leaves along with the item you placed them on.  Place rice paper over the leaf and mold to surface of item. If necessary apply another wash to the entire surface and them allow to dry. If desired, the surface can be sealed with matte acrylic spray.

(You can guild your leaves by spraying gold spray paint on the surface of cold water.  Let it sit for a few seconds and then quickly dip and twirl a leaf in the water until you get a guilded or marbleized effect.)

Questions: