Leaf Observation

1. Begin the lesson by reviewing briefly what plants need in order to survive.
2. Create a discussion around how plants can respond to their environment by how they look.
3. Explain to students that they will be observing leaf patterns. They will look at leaves in the shade and in the sunlight and compare the two. The observations collected will be used to see how leaves react to the different environments they are in.
4. Show students a clip of the video ‘Making Observations of Leaves’ (00:40-1:40) to give students an example of how students discuss their observations with one another.
5. Before heading outside, have students make predictions on what they think they will see in the leaves in the two different environments. Write down some of the predictions the students make on chart paper.
6. Students will be given a worksheet and be told to find a leaf in a shaded area or sunny area. Students should draw their leaf observation and write down what they see. Students should be given 10-15 minutes to do this.
7. Students should share their observations/thoughts with a classmate who had the opposite environment (shade vs sunlight).
8. The teacher should then collect all the worksheets and display them for the class to see. Students will share their observations aloud. A discussion should be had about what patterns are seen through the leaf color and texture. The teacher will create a graph on chart paper for the class to see as students are sharing their findings.
9. Students will then complete an assessment on what they learned. Students should be given around 20 minutes to complete this. The teacher should take the assessment up, and then discuss some of the questions and allow students to share their thoughts.

The students will be assessed through the questioning that takes place during the lesson. They will also be assessed on the completion of the worksheet, and the knowledge they are able to demonstrate on the topic through the assessment given.