Grades : 3 - 5
Essential Academic Learning Requirements:
Science: 1.
Use properties to identify, describe, and categorize substances,
materials, and objects and use characteristics to categorize living things.
1.2
Develop abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry.
Materials:
1. Samples of tree leaves
2.
Key for identifying
3.
Vocabulary definitions
VOCABULARY:
alternate:
describes organs, usually leaves, borne singly at each node, in 2 vertical rows,
on either side of an axis
angiosperm:
a flowering plant that bears ovules, later seeds, enclosed in an ovary
axillary
bud: bud arising at the point where the petiole meets the stem
blade:
thin, usually flat part of a leaf excluding the petiole
bud:
immature organ or shoot enclosing an embryonic branch, leaf or flower
compound:
consisting of several parts but still identifiable as a single unit, such as a
leaf divided into 2 or more leaflets
entire:
describes a continuous, untoothed, unlobed margin, usually describes a leaf
gymnosperm:
a plant that bears seeds on open surfaces of scales that make up a cone
leaf:
plant organ, usually flattened and green, borne on a stem or branch, that
fulfills the functions of photosynthesis, respiration and transpiration.
leaf
axil: angle formed between the leaf stalk(petiole) and the stem
leaflet:
single division of a compound leaf
lobed:
usually rounded segments, separated from adjacent segments by clefts
extending halfway or less to the center of an organ, such as a leaf
node:
point on the stem, sometimes swollen, at which leaves, leaf buds and shoots
arise opposite: describes organ, usually leaves, borne in pairs at each
node, in the same plane but on opposite sides of an axis
palmately
compound: describes a leaf that is fully divided into leaflets arising from
a single basal point. It is often used loosely to mean lobed in a hand-like
form. 3-palmate leaves are divided into 3 leaflets and are often referred to as
trifoliolate or ternate, not trifoliate. 5-palmate
leaves are said to be digitate
petiole:
leaf stalk
pinnately
compound: describes a leaf with leaflets arranged alternately or in opposite
pairs on a central axis with or without a terminal leaflet
simple:
not divided into secondary units, for example, a leaf with a continuous surface,
not cut into leaflets
terminal
bud: located at the end of a stem
toothed:
describes a margin, usually of a leaf, with tooth-like triangular indentations
Procedure: Pass out keys, leaves, definitions. Explain vocabulary words. Refer to illustrations on pg 4 & 5. Explain how a dichotomous key works. Distribute branch samples. Silver maple, ash, dogwood, pine, red bud, and willow are good samples to use. Rotate samples and keep score.