![]() Looking for simple explanations and activities? Newton's Apple, the PBS science series for kids, offers Photosynthesis. Also, check out the Fun Fact question (What do autumn leaves and ripening bananas have in common?), which will help teachers of all grades to teach an important leaf-color concept. For a more detailed explanation (including an "I Can Read" version written just for young students), and for a handful of hands-on science activities that teach about fall's colors, see Simply Science's Why Do Leaves Change Color in the Fall? One really cool experiment at this site involves the use of rubbing alcohol, so it might be appropriate only for older students. If it's a simple explanation of why some trees' leaves turn color each fall, check out Why Leaves Change Color from the College of Environmental Science and Forestry of the State University of New York. ![]() as well as from California, Michigan, Wisconsin, and more. See colorful images from the eastern U.S. (Just click on the picture to see a larger, full-screen version of the image.) Check out the fall colors all across the United States at the Fall Foliage on the Web site. Here you'll find all kinds of clickable pictures. If it's pretty pictures you're looking for, check out New England Foliage. Some sites are scientific in their orientation - and others are just full of pretty pictures. The Internet is full of valuable resources for you and your students. On the Web, you'll find a wide variety of sites for teaching about the arrival of fall's colors. That means less food for deciduous trees! Soon the tree's photosynthesis (food-making) "factory" will shut down and the tree will rest until spring when water and light again awaken the process. This process is called photosynthesis, which translated means "putting together with light." As winter nears, less sunlight and less water - elements essential to the process of photosynthesis - will be available to trees. It only shows up as the nights get cooler.įall is a great time of year for teaching about the process that gives life to trees. ![]() And that they do - in brilliant explosions of color!Īnother pigment (anthocyanin), which produces reds and purples, isn't present all year long in most green leaves. But, come fall, a tree's leaves produce less chlorophyll. It covers the yellow (xanthophyll) and orange (carotene) pigments that are natural to a tree's leaves. It's just that the pigment chlorophyll (the pigment that makes the leaves green) is a much stronger pigment than the others. You might ask your students why they think dentists refer to baby teeth as "deciduous teeth"? See if your students can figure out the connection!Īnd here's another question for your students: Did you know that a tree's leaves are orange and yellow - even in summer? Most leaves include the pigments of all three colors. Trees that drop their leaves each fall are called deciduous trees. And, in many parts of the United States, it means that trees will soon shed their leaves after a final colorful salute to summer. It's fall! That means shorter days and cooler nights. Included: We've raked up a pile of activities for you to "leaf" through! Photosynthesis: Fall's Most Valuable LessonĪutumn is here! Fall's colors provide the perfect motivation for teaching about photosynthesis across the grades. More Great Ideas for the New School Year.
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