Our Tree Inquiry Continues ...

Our class voted to name our injured tree "Katie". This was the first democratic experience for some of our kindies and they learned to vote only once. We counted each vote using tallies, and Katie won with seven votes!

We learned how plants breath by conducting this simple experiment posted on kcedventures.com:

Learn how plants breathe with this easy outdoor science activity that makes the invisible visible!

I just realized that we haven't shared many Simple Science Experiments lately.

Our goal with Simple Science activities is to provide you with quick & easy ideas that help kids explore science! 

Most of these require very few items (many of which are found around your home) and can be set up in less than 5 minutes. If you'd like to introduce your child to science, these experiements are the perfect place to begin!

For today's Simple Science experiment, we're going to head outdoors and learn how leaves breathe!

All you'll need is a bowl of water and a leaf!

Exploring How Plants & Trees Breathe

Even though we chose to use a tree leaf, you can also conduct this experiment using a leaf from a plant -- the important step is including an ACTIVE leaf (meaning one that you remove from the tree or plant).

Step 1:  Fill a large bowl with lukewarm water

You can use a glass or plastic bowl (personally, I like glass bowls better as you'll be able to see the experiment from all angles however you will probably have the bowl outside so you may want to use plastic).

If you're replicating this experiment in the classroom, a large size beaker would also work -- in fact, you can extend the experiment by measuring the amount of water you use to cover the leaf to see if that has any impact on the results!

I have not tried this experiment with a metal bowl so if you do, leave me a note and let me know how it turns out!

Step 2:  Head outside and find a large leaf

You'll want to remove a leaf from a tree or plant and not just pick one up off the ground as we want an 'active' leaf for the project.

If you'd like to, have some fun with art & science by making a leaf rubbing before you go to the next step!

Step 3:  Place the leaf in the bowl of water and put a small rock on top of it so it is FULLY submerged under the water

Then put the bowl in a sunny spot.

As you can see, this is really the benefit of using a glass bowl -- you can be sure your entire leaf is underwater.

If you have a place inside that's super sunny, you can also try keeping the bowl there.

Step 4:  WAIT!

Oh yea, did I mention that now we need to wait a few hours ;)

I know -- one of the hardest things for kids.  So go on with your day -- maybe set the experiment up before lunch or quiet time.  Or your kids can get it ready before they head off to school or the park and it will be waiting for them when they come back.

Step 5:  Take a peek a few hours later

What you should be seeing is small bubbles that form around the leaf and the edges of the bowl.  These are easy to see with the naked eye but having a large magnifying glass on hand always makes an experiment feel more scienc-y ;)

Ask your kids what would happen if they held their breath, went underwater in the pool and then let their breath out -- they would see bubbles coming up in the water.

That's what they are seeing here -- the leaf is still using the sunlight as part of the photosynthesis process (where leaves convert sunlight to energy). 

As a leaf creates that energy, it needs to get rid of the items it no longer needs so it will expel both the extra oxygen during  photosysthesis along with water (the release of water from a plant is called transpiration). 

The process of photosynthesis is what allows us to see the bubbles -- as the leaf releases its' extra oxygen while submerged, the oxygen can be seen as bubbles in the water.

And since oxygen is lighter than water, the bubbles will eventually rise to the surface.

We discovered that the leaf had bubbles on it in the sunny afternoons!

Classroom Read-Alouds (October 2-5)

Thank you God for Everything,  August Gold

More Pies, Robert Munsch

Thanks for Thanksgiving, Heather Patterson

Chime-In 

Classroom Poems, Songs and Chants

Five Little Turkeys

Five little turkeys, standing at the door,

One waddled off, and then there were four.

Four little turkeys sitting near a tree,

One waddled off, and then there were three.

Three little turkeys with nothing to do,

One waddled off, and then there were two.

Two little turkeys in the morning sun,

One waddled off, and then there was one.

One little turkey better run away,

For soon it will be Thanksgiving Day.

Scarecrow, Scarecrow

Scarecrow, scarecrow, turn around

Scarecrow, scarecrow, touch the ground.

Stand up tall and blink your eyes

Raise your hands to the sky.

Clap your hands, then tap your knees,

Turn around, and tap your feet.

Scarecrow, scarecrow, touch your toes

Scarecrow, scarecrow tap your nose.

Swing your arms so very slow,

Now real fast to scare the crows!

Turn your head, jump up and down,

Now sit down without a sound.