{"id":1290,"date":"2025-08-28T14:21:18","date_gmt":"2025-08-28T14:21:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/discover.hubpages.com\/education\/tree-lesson"},"modified":"2025-08-28T14:21:18","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T14:21:18","slug":"leaves-and-photosynthesis-lesson-plan-for-elementary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/?p=1290","title":{"rendered":"Leaves and Photosynthesis Lesson Plan for Elementary"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><time datetime=\"2025-08-28T10:21:18-04:00\" title=\"Aug 28, 2025\">Aug 28, 2025<\/time><br \/><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"tree-lesson\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/e924f2b57c685ade4850c67929a69043.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Play a photosynthesis relay race, create an edible leaf structure, act out the parts of a tree, examine and classify tree leaves and use them to identify trees, and more in this fun, hands-on lesson on leaves and photosynthesis! This is part 5 of a 6 part hands-on unit on Plants. This lesson is geared toward 2nd-3rd grade level children and their siblings. I created this to do with a weekly homeschool co-op which meets each week for 2 1\/2 hours. <strong>Use this fun lesson with your class, family, after school program, camp, or co-op!<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>Parts of Leaves<\/h2>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Studying various leaves\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/db5dd415192e1e7bb25691318742e14b.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Studying various leaves<\/p>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Learning the parts of a leaf\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/4bfe28a4a73921a4883f9b327f95a18d.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Learning the parts of a leaf<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Read and discuss Psalm 1:1-3: Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither\u2014 whatever they do prospers.<\/li>\n<ul>\n<li>Observe leaves.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li>What do you notice?<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>How are they the same?<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>What differences do they have?<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>a variety of leaves and magnifying glasses<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<ol>\n<li>Learn the anatomy\/parts of a leaf \u2013 Different leaves have different margins, veins, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li>Tip = apex<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>petiole = stalk that attaches leaf to the plant<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>midrib = main vein (extension of petiole)<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>other veins start at midrib<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>lamina\/blade = entire leaf above the petiole<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>margin = edge<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<h2>Identifying Aspects of a Leaf<\/h2>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Comparing leaves\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/baca93170d51d86b64fa31c806d511b0.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Comparing leaves<\/p>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Margins of a leaf\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/97273e8040142944305cf7aecb43c321.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Margins of a leaf<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Mention which aspects need to be noticed on a leaf to use it to identify a tree or other plant.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li>Simple (1 leaf attached to stem by single petiole) vs. Compound (several leaflets attached to single petiole \u2013 compound means more than 1)<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Leaf arrangement<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Have children divide their leaves by various traits:<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>\n<ul>\n<li>Leaf edges: smooth, toothed, sinuate, pinnated lobed, or palmated lobed<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Leaf shapes: linear, ovate, oblong, rounded, spatulate, obcordate, deltoid, or reniform<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Leaf veins: parallel, palmated, or pinnate<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<h2>Leaf Shapes &amp; Margins<\/h2>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"tree-lesson\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/dc387cb0c31d121f6599a20542de1413.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"tree-lesson\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/851a9484036c3fa99f561f55d0cd4475.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Lead the students in sketching 16 basic leaf shapes and leaf margins. I drew on the board while the students drew on their paper. You can use the above worksheet so students don&#8217;t have to write out the names. I watched the below video, took notes, and then led the class in drawing these.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>above leaf worksheet or a sheet of blank paper folded into 16 squares (or above worksheet) &amp; a pencil<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<h2>How to draw 16 basic leaf shapes &#8211; You can still watch it but you must be on YouTube.<\/h2>\n<h2>Evergreens<\/h2>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Pine needles\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/560944da023dc78503e5773725b4c8ae.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Pine needles<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>What about pine needles?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li>Pass one to each child. Ask the children if it is a leaf. Why or why not?<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Have the children compare a leaf with a pine needle.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Briefly discuss the difference between gymnosperms and angiosperms (needles vs. leaves, coverless seeds vs. fruit, &amp; no flowers vs. flowers).<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>pine needles<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<h2>Pine Needle Tea<\/h2>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Pine Needle Tea\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/501d71464642241ba3dad8d06cd8a4cd.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Pine Needle Tea<\/p>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"To make pine needle tea, fill a pot of boiling water with pine needles.\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/759907cf0a8933638d51aaaf887382ac.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>To make pine needle tea, fill a pot of boiling water with pine needles.<\/p>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"After the pine needles have seeped in the hot water for at least 20 minutes, drain the tea using a colander. Add sugar and then serve.  \" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/36eff74245829d88602871cb4779e905.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>After the pine needles have seeped in the hot water for at least 20 minutes, drain the tea using a colander. Add sugar and then serve.  <\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>(Optional &#8211; If you&#8217;re not limited by time) If you live in an area with an abundant amount of pine trees, make pine needle tea.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>(*If you don&#8217;t have time to make this during class, make some and bring it to class for students to try.*)<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Place a large amount of pine needles in a pot of boiling water. (You can cut the pine needles of desired.)<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Cover the pot and let the pine needles seep in the water for at least 20 minutes.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Drain the tea using a sieve or colander to remove the pine needles.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Add sugar.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Pine needles are very high in Vitamin C and this tea tastes citrusy.<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>pine needles, pot of water, colander or sieve, &amp; sugar<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<h2>Identifying a Tree Using the Leaves<\/h2>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Using leaves and tree guides to try to identify trees\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/d2e457fefbcc6b07ba64268833e11d3f.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Using leaves and tree guides to try to identify trees<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>While waiting for the pine needle tea to seep or after tasting pine needle tee, have children divide into pairs and use a tree guide book to identify the tree from which a leaf came. (Younger children required assistance with this. I would turn to the page or pages with that type of tree and tell them to locate it on the page or group of pages.)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>leaves from above and tree guides (I checked out all the tree guides our library had.)<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<h2>Photosynthesis: Maple Syrup &amp; Dramatizing <\/h2>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"tree-lesson\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/d65cb13736c5b33958e9443429364f29.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Turning off and on the lights to dramatize \" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/43cc060c88923df8c4bea588d7c26d67.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Turning off and on the lights to dramatize <\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Cellular Respiration: We\u2019re not done talking about leaves. Leaves not only release water in transpiration. They also use and give off air in a process called cellular respiration.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li>Take a deep breath. You\u2019re breathing in a gas called oxygen. Now breath out. You\u2019re breathing out a gas called carbon dioxide. Animals do the same thing. They breathe in oxygen &amp; breath out carbon dioxide.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>God created plants to \u201ctrade\u201d air with us. Plants breathe too! Can you guess what they breathe in? Carbon dioxide, our waste gas. Can you guess what they breath out? Oxygen, the gas we humans and also animals need to breath.<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<ol>\n<li>Photosynthesis:<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li>Plants also need sugar to survive. They make their own sugar inside the leaf. The leaf takes water from the roots &amp; combines it with light from the sun and carbon dioxide from the air to make sugar for the plant and oxygen for us and for animals. It sends sugar down from the leaves &amp; the sugar runs throughout the entire plant\u2019s phloem to feed it.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Who\u2019s had maple syrup on your pancakes? Real maple syrup is the sugar\/glucose from a maple tree.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Taste maple syrup by dipping a toothpick in maple syrup.]<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Another name for the sugar is glucose. Tell them that as they&#8217;re sampling the &#8220;glucose&#8221; from a maple tree, they can also enjoy the other product of photosynthesis: oxygen.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>How do leaves make this sappy plant food? A process called photosynthesis. Each leaf is a sugar-making factory. When its stomata open, it starts taking in carbon dioxide. At the same time, water travels up from the roots of the plants to the leaves, &amp; the leaf actually takes the carbon dioxide &amp; combines it with the water. Guess what that makes? Sugar &amp; oxygen. The leaf uses some of the sugar for food, sends the rest of it down to the rest of the pant, and releases the oxygen into the air for you &amp; me to breath.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>A leaf can\u2019t do this job on its own. In order to combine carbon dioxide &amp; water, the leaf needs energy. Guess where it gets that energy? The light from the sun! <strong>Photo<\/strong> means l<strong>ight<\/strong>. <strong>Synthesis <\/strong>means <strong>to put together<\/strong>. <strong>Photosynthesis <\/strong>means <strong>putting together with light<\/strong>. That\u2019s what leaves do. With the help of light, they put together carbon dioxide &amp; water to make sugar &amp; oxygen.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>They do this all day long while the sun is shining. Then the stomata close &amp; the leaves rest once the sun goes down. They go to sleep at night just like you do! Once the sun rises, the stomata open &amp; they get back to work making sugar for the plant &amp; oxygen for the rest of God\u2019s creation.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Imitate stomata. Flip the lights off and on. When the lights are off, close your mouth. When the lights are on, open your mouth. Repeat a few times.<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>maple syrup &amp; toothpicks for tasting<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<p>(Some of the above explanation came from the excellent book <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/1932012494\/?tag=hubacct7155-20\">Exploring Creation with Botany by Jeannie Fulbright<\/a> .)<\/p>\n<h2>Xylem and Phloem Dance<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>(Optional) Act out Xylem and Phloem to help remember what they do: &#8220;Water zips up the xlyem; sugar flows from the phloem.&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li>Cross arms in front of you like an X to remind you of xylem. Even though it starts with an X, it makes a Z sound as does zip.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Stomp your feet, which will be our roots. Squat down near your feet\/roots. As you stand up, uncross your arms, spreading them out to your &#8220;leaves&#8221; and say, &#8220;Water zips up the xylem.&#8221;<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Do a wave with your arms as you say, &#8220;Sugar flows from the phloem.&#8221; Sugar, food for the plant, flows out of the leaves to the rest of the plant through the phloem. (Phloem starts with an F sound as does flow.)<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Repeat one more time as you chant, &#8220;Water zips up the xylem; sugar flows from the phloem.&#8221;<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<h2>Photosynthesis Relay Race<\/h2>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Photosynthesis Relay Race\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/76a097a586453c56836d3ec7c06334a3.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Photosynthesis Relay Race<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Photosynthesis Relay Race found at <a href=\"https:\/\/ellenjmchenry.com\/homeschool-freedownloads\/plants\/\">www.ellenjmchenry.com<\/a> to review the formula for photosynthesis. Have children take turns completing the process of photosynthesis.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li>They will place cards with water and carbon dioxide into the &#8220;in&#8221; envelope on a leaf and shine a flashlight on it.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Then they will remove the cards for oxygen, glucose, and water from the &#8220;out&#8221; envelope on the leaf.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Verbally state what they&#8217;re doing each time.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>If you&#8217;re teaching upper elementary, you can have the children compete as two teams in the relay race explained at the Ellen McHenry page.<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>at least 1 piece of green construction paper each cut into the shape of a leaf with 2 small envelopes glued to it, at least 1 flashlight, pattern pieces<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<h2>Chlorophyll<\/h2>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"tree-lesson\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/5fc8acd1b5fa18f527237815ba1229a0.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>&#8220;Color-Fill&#8221; Chlorophyll<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li>Plants Have you ever wondered why leaves are green? Flowers come in many colors, but leaves are green. Why? The answer is that they need to be green to do their job. Remember, leaves need light to make food for the plant. How do they use this light?<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Leaves are filled with a special substance called chlorophyll, which absorbs the light the leaves need in order to do their job. It takes the light\u2019s energy &amp; gives it to the leaf in just the right way so the leaf can use it.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Chlorophyll makes the leaves green. Chlor sounds like color &amp; phyll sounds like fill. Chlorophyll fills the leaves with green color.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>What about these leaves that aren\u2019t green? They\u2019ve lost their chlorophyll.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Transpiration is the reason some plants lose their leaves in autumn. God designed some plants to lose their leaves as a way to protect the plant during the frozen, dry winter. Because there\u2019s not much rain &amp; water is sometimes frozen in the winter, it\u2019s difficult for the roots to get enough water for the plant. What happens in transpiration? Water escapes through the leaves. What if the plant continued to lose water through the leaves all winter but couldn\u2019t replace it with water from the roots? The plant would die of thirst, wouldn\u2019t it?<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>God designed many trees &amp; plants to avoid this problem by losing their leaves in the fall, before winter sets in. These plants are called deciduous. They lose their leaves so they won\u2019t lose extra water through transportation. They have enough water &amp; stored sugar inside their roots &amp; stems to keep them until spring.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>In the fall when there\u2019s less sunlight, that\u2019s the signal for the tree to form a little scab between the tree branch &amp; the petiole, the place where the leaf is connected to the tree. Because it\u2019s been cut off by the scab growth, the leaf can\u2019t get water from the tree. What happens when it can\u2019t get water? It quits doing photosynthesis &amp; no longer needs chlorophyll. Because it no longer needs chlorophyll, the leaf loses its green color. When this happens, the leaf begins to show all the colors that were already there, hidden under all the green chlorophyll. In the fall, a leaf doesn\u2019t turn red or yellow. It already was red or yellow. The green chlorophyll was so dark that in the spring &amp; summer it covered up all the colors that were already there. As the chlorophyll decays away, the beautiful colors that chlorophyll was hiding show up.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Pretty soon the leaf falls off the tree.<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>leaves that have lost some or all their chlorophyll such as yellow and red leaves during the fall<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<p>(The above explanation came from the excellent book <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/1932012494\/?tag=hubacct7155-20\">Exploring Creation with Botany by Jeannie Fulbright<\/a> .)<\/p>\n<h2>Leaf &#8220;Stained Glass Window&#8221; Craft &amp; Review<\/h2>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Leaf craft\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/49e3bf5b3abff071b8b3e50777c44fb9.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Leaf craft<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>(Optional) If you&#8217;d like to add a leaf craft activity, have children collect leaves.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li>Have children place the leaves either between 2 pieces of wax paper or between 2 pieces of contact paper.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Have children glue construction paper that has a shape cut out of the middle to the leaves.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Have children glue a second sheet of construction paper to the back to act as a frame.<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>leaves, construction paper, scissors, glue, and either wax paper or contact paper<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<h2>Review<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Review what we learned about leaves and photosynthesis.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong>Optional Homework: Edible Leaves<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2>Edible leaf structure: epidermis and stomata<\/h2>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Edible leaf structure: epidermis and stomata\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/641abfd620cbdf36349a3e19ba8ae47a.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Edible leaf structure: epidermis and stomata<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Sliced bananas will be the stomata, which are mainly found under the leaf, and green jell-o will be the lower epidermis. Cool the banana and green jell-o mix in a freezer for 30 minutes and continue on with the lesson. Mention the functions of the epidermis and stomata. We compared the stomata to our noses and mouth as it takes in and releases gas. (This came from Ranger Rick&#8217;s Naturescope book <em>Trees Are Terrific<\/em>.)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>1 8&#215;11&#8243; glass pan, a knife and cutting board, a small mixing bowl, a mixing spoon, 1 sliced banana, and 1 package of green jell-o<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<h2>Veins and spongy layer<\/h2>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Edible leaf structure: veins and spongy layer\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/b8f38d0d27486d87f16414b7a2f7218d.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Edible leaf structure: veins and spongy layer<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Discuss the importance of the veins and the spongy layer. Strawberry slivers or peach slivers will represent the vein, small cantaloupe or honeydew melon chunks will represent the loosely packed, irregularly shaped cells and the yellow or peach jell-o will represent the spongy layer. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes. (Note: The fruit slivers that represent the veins will float around in the jell-o mixture, so there is not a need to place them carefully in straight lines on the jell-o.)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>a small bowl, a mixing spoon, 5 strawberries cut into slivers or 1\/2 a peach cut into slivers, 8 small cantaloupe or honeydew melon chunks, &amp; a box of peach or yellow jell-o<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<h2>Palisade Layer<\/h2>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Edible Leaf Structure: Palisade Layer\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/9d3baeaa34b1ec8b5ad51d2e84f5e8c6.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Edible Leaf Structure: Palisade Layer<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Discuss the importance of the palisade layer. Grape halves will represent the chloroplasts and the peach or yellow jell-o will represent the palisade layer. Freeze for 30 minutes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>10 grapes, a knife, cutting board, a small mixing bowl, a mixing spoon, &amp; a box of peach or yellow jell-o<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<h2>Upper Epidermis<\/h2>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Edible Leaf Structure: Upper Epidermis\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/e427f4b509854c8ab9939a8bbba99f99.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Edible Leaf Structure: Upper Epidermis<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Add the remaining 1 cup of green jell-o liquid to the top. The upper epidermis will be represented by the remaining green jell-o. Review the purpose of the epidermis. Freeze for 30 minutes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2>Waxy Layer<\/h2>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Edible Leaf Structure: Waxy Layer\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/2521d06486a2d1751d720d10e4f38e4a.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Edible Leaf Structure: Waxy Layer<\/p>\n<h2>Waxy Layer<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Waxy Layer: Discuss the importance of the waxy layer. Cool Whip will represent the waxy layer. Slice up the Edible Leaf Structure and review the parts of a leaf and what each part does. Enjoy eating your leaf!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Cool Whip and mixing spoon<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<h2>Optional Homework #3: Free Tree Lapbooks<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.homeschoolshare.com\/trees.php\">Lapbook Unit on Trees<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/theinspiredclassroom.blogspot.com\/2011\/08\/photosynthesis-model.html\">Assorted Plant Part Foldables<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Maple Syrup Unit &amp; Lapbook : http:\/\/www.homeschoolshare.com\/maple_syrup.php<\/p>\n<p>Lapbook based on Meeting Trees by Scott Russell Sanders : http:\/\/www.homeschoolshare.com\/meeting_trees.php<\/p>\n<p>Lapbook based on The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein : http:\/\/www.homeschoolshare.com\/giving_tree.php<\/p>\n<p>Lapbook based on The Lorax by Dr. Seuss : http:\/\/www.homeschoolshare.com\/lorax.php<\/p>\n<p>Lapbook based on Miss Twiggley&#8217;s Tree by Dorothea Warren Fox : http:\/\/www.homeschoolshare.com\/miss-twiggleys-tree.php<\/p>\n<p>Lapbook based on The Tale of Three Trees by Angela Elwell Hunt : http:\/\/www.homeschoolshare.com\/tale_of_the_three_trees.php<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong>Our Favorite Children&#8217;s Books<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Favorite Children's Books on Roots, Stems, Leaves, and Trees\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/b3d5097ac474bae2b764d7d97ba3d4de.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Favorite Children&#8217;s Books on Roots, Stems, Leaves, and Trees<\/p>\n<p><strong>Our Favorite Books on Leaves:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0064451267\/?tag=hubacct7155-20\">Why Do Leaves Change Color? <\/a>(Let&#8217;s-Read-and-Find-Out Science, Stage 2) by Betsy Maestro<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0761453792\/?tag=hubacct7155-20\">Leaves! Leaves! Leaves! <\/a>by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0152053042\/?tag=hubacct7155-20\">Leaf Man<\/a> by Lois Ehlert is a cute picture book prefect for preschoolers or kindergarten aged children and might inspire a craft<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/1404244859\/?tag=hubacct7155-20\">Investigating Why Leaves Change Their Color <\/a>(Science Detectives) by Ellen Rene has photographs rather than illustrations but does a wonderful job of explaining why leaves change colors<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<p><strong>Our Favorite Books on Photosynthesis:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0736878939\/?tag=hubacct7155-20\">Understanding Photosynthesis with Max Axiom<\/a> by Liam O&#8217;Donnell was our favorite book on plant systems, and photosynthesis in particular. It does a wonderful job of explaining the process in terms that even younger children can enjoy, and the information is told by a cool scientist who can shrink in order to investigate leaves more thoroughly. It is written in a comic book format, so the pictures will be too small to use as a read aloud for a larger group. If you are reading to a class that is larger (16+ children),<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0590922467\/?tag=hubacct7155-20\">The Magic School Bus Gets Planted: A Book About Photosynthesis<\/a> by Lenore Notkin<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0545044227\/?tag=hubacct7155-20\">Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring The Earth To Life <\/a>by Molly Bang<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong>Our Favorite Video Clips<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2>How botanists learned about photosynthesis<\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong>Looking for the other lessons?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"tree-lesson\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/75401226da9fe52b816408fa1a0f9100.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Go on a seed hunt, act out germination, create seed mosaics, make and eat a plant parts salad, dissect a flower, decorate sunflower cookies, compete in a photosynthesis relay race, got on a plant scavenger hunt, and more during this fun four part unit study on Botany and Plants!<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/plant-seeds-lesson-plan\">Seeds Lesson<\/a> &#8211; Go on a seed hunt, act out germination, create seed mosaics, and more in this fun lesson on plants! This is part 1 of a 6 part unit study on Botany and Plants.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/flowers-lesson\">Flowers Lesson<\/a> &#8211; Go on a flower hunt, dissect a flower, create edible flowers, paint flowers, and more in this fun lesson on flowers! This is part 2 of a 6 part unit study on Botany and Plants.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/bee-lesson\">Bee &amp; Honey Lesson<\/a> &#8211; (This lesson is optional.) Dance like a bee, make edible bees using honey balls, use cheese puff balls and and juice boxes to dramatize pollination, create pipe cleaner bees and have them fly to the tune of Flight of the Bumblebee, and more! This is part 3 of a 6 part unit study on Botany and Plants.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/plant-roots-and-stems-lesson\">Roots &amp; Stems and Transpiration Lesson<\/a> &#8211; Observe roots and stems, observe transpiration in action and dramatize it, create a plants part salad, and more in this fun, hands-on lesson on roots and stems and transpiration! This is part 4 of a 6 part unit study on Botany and Plants.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/tree-lesson\">Leaves &amp; Photosynthesis Lesson<\/a> &#8211; Play a photosynthesis relay race, create an edible leaf structure, act out the parts of a tree, examine and classify tree leaves and use them to identify trees, and more in this fun, hands-on lesson on leaves and trees! This is part 5 of a 6 part unit study on Botany and Plants.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/leaves-and-photosynthesis-lesson\">Trees Lesson<\/a> &#8211; Examine tree cookies and count the rings, create delicious tree fruit and nut balls, act out the parts of a tree, sketch a twig to learn its parts, create bark and leaf rubbings, and more in this fun, hands-on lesson on trees!  This is part 6 of a 6 part unit study on Botany and Plants.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/botany-scavenger-hunt\">Botany Scavenger Hunt &amp; Field Trip Ideas<\/a> &#8211; This is the culminating activity we did after a 6 week hands-on unit study on botany\/plants. Children went on a fun-filled scavenger hunt for a variety of plants, and afterward had a plant-themed picnic lunch. Also included are the field trips we went on while studying this unit on botany and plants.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/science-lessons-for-kids\">All of my Fun, FREE Hands-on Science Unit Studies &amp; Lessons <\/a>&#8211; Fun, free hands-on Science unit studies and lessons &#8211; Learning through Doing: Experiments, Cooking, Dramatizations, Edible Projects, Games, Crafts &#8211; Astronomy, Geology, Biology, Plants, Genetics, CSI, Human Anatomy, Simple Machines, Electricity, Earth Science, Fossils, Weather, Five Senses, &amp; Ecology<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<p><strong>\u00a9 2013 Shannon<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>What first comes to mind when you think of trees? &#8211; Or just leave a note to let me know you dropped by! I love getting feedback from you!<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Shannon (author)<\/strong> from Florida on March 09, 2014:<\/p>\n<p>@jmchaconne: Thank you for the lovely response to the page!<\/p>\n<p><strong>jmchaconne<\/strong> on March 04, 2014:<\/p>\n<p>What a fabulous well written lens!. I love trees, and especially maple. I just finished constructing a waterfall and I wanted to give it a Japanese garden motif. I thought trees were out of the question because of the limited space for landscaping, and fear of root invasion into the parking lot and walk, until I found a tree farm on the net introducing me to Japanese dwarf trees, and found a gorgeous maple with leaves to die for. I wrote a lens about it called Wildwood Farm. The poem I wrote, says what I think about trees. Thank you for your good work.<\/p>\n<p>Tree<\/p>\n<p>Roots firmly planted deep down in earth&#8217;s embrace<\/p>\n<p>Stately knotted mottled trunk bent to the wind<\/p>\n<p>Enfolding branches reach skyward for the warming sun<\/p>\n<p>Leaves sway rhythmically to the silent song of life<\/p>\n<p>Presence filled with dignity witness to antiquity<\/p>\n<p>Teach me what you know of life<\/p>\n<p>Of death<\/p>\n<p>Of god<\/p>\n<p>~<\/p>\n<p><strong>Shannon (author)<\/strong> from Florida on June 20, 2013:<\/p>\n<p>@Rosetta Slone: Thank you so much!!!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Shannon (author)<\/strong> from Florida on June 20, 2013:<\/p>\n<p>@SusanDeppner: Thank you so much for the kind comment!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Susan Deppner<\/strong> from Arkansas USA on June 20, 2013:<\/p>\n<p>Speaking as a retired homeschool mom, I love unit studies and this is a great one!  Thanks for sharing in such detail.  Love it when I learn as much as the kids do!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Rosetta Slone<\/strong> from Under a coconut tree on June 20, 2013:<\/p>\n<p>There are no words to describe how much I love this lesson plan. Fantastic! I&#8217;m sure I&#8217;ll be using some of your ideas in the near future.<\/p>\n<p>P.S. My fave tree is the baobab.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Shannon (author)<\/strong> from Florida on June 19, 2013:<\/p>\n<p>@MelanieMurphyMyer: Thank you so much!<\/p>\n<p><strong>MelanieMurphyMyer<\/strong> on June 19, 2013:<\/p>\n<p>That Apologia Botany book looks very familiar! I used it with my youngest several years ago. Great book! And nice lesson plan. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Aug 28, 2025 Play a photosynthesis relay race, create an edible leaf structure, act out the parts of a tree, examine and classify tree leaves and use them to identify trees, and more in this fun, hands-on lesson on leaves and photosynthesis! This is part 5 of a 6 part hands-on unit on Plants. This [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1290","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1290","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1290"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1290\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1290"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1290"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1290"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}