Removing Chlorophyll from Leaves

As we learned about leaves, the class discovered that leaves are not truly green while reading about leaves.  The students then began to ask if leaves are not really green, then what color are they?  Filled with questions, they took to the internet for answers.  Annika told her classmates that leaves were filled with green stuff called chlorophyll.  After checking a few websites, Annika found a recipe that we help her and her classmates answer the very question that had been plaguing them.

What would we need?

1. a pot

2.   a glass bowl

3.  rubbing alcohol

4.  measuring cups

5. water

                                                      As one of the students filled the measuring cup with water, many other questions started to come up.  All of them instantly wanted to know  why did we need to boil the   water.  Alex said , " To get in to the plant!"    Boiling a leave makes it easier for  alcohol to get into the plant.

When asked what does boiling water look like?  Shirmar said, "When the water gets hot and hot, it is boiling. She then adds, "The water will pop with circles."  Tirza quickly added, "Bubbles."  Shirmar then warned, "If it touches you, it stings."

What color will the leaves be when we finish our science experiment?  The students passed the leaves around and made a hypothesis about what color each leaf would turn.  But as they touch the leaves, many of the students began making other observations.  Shirmar noticed that the leaves were smooth. So, Nohea asked to hold the fig leaf.  Nohea says, "The leaf is soft and furry."

 Everyone wanted a chance to see the bubbles and what the leaf looked like as it boiled.

One student began to measure the rubbing, then we placed the boiled leaves in a boil and poured the alcohol on them.

 Soon the class started making predictions about what color the leaves would turn.

Shirmar said, I think they will be purple.

Mark said, "No, they will be yellow."

Nohea and Kyle agreed they would be orange.

Tirza thought they would be red, and Alex said she thought they would stay green.

The emerald green liquid is the chlorophyll.  The students were very excited about seeing the chlorophyll, but they wanted the leaves to turn faster.  Shirmar suggested that we add more alcohol.  So we did and check for any changes the next day.  We could see more of the change happening.  They could see the yellow peeking through on the fig leaf and red from the oak leaf.  But still they wanted to see a bigger changes.  Annika suggested that we boil the leaves again to see if that would speed up the reaction.  When the class was satisfied with the changes, they started to write their very first lab report.

We are definitely scientist in the making. ;-)

Self Portrait Photography and "I Am" Poems

 Our students are so fortunate to have worked one on one with M2 Photography for their self portrait project.  M2 flew in from Philadelphia to assist the students in the construction of their self portrait photos.  They are a Houston and Philadelphia based company, and more information on them can be viewed on their website:  m2-photography.net

The children have been working on creating "I Am" poems after studying a self portrait by Judith Lester.  As we dove deep into creating the poems we started discovering more of what we want people to know about us.  

-What emotions we feel colors represent

- What emotions best describe our personalities

- What things make us happy

-What things make us sad, mad, etc

- who we love

- what our favorite things in life are

- what things we like to imagine

We used these "I Am" to:

- create backdrops for our photos

- decide what props we would need for the photo

- choose colors for our backdrops 

- choose the right outfit for our photo shoot

-choose lighting

-composition of the photo

-what mood we thought the photo should express

Here are some of the behind the scene photos.  The children directed the photographers in every part of the photo.  The photographers taught the children about lighting and composition.  

And here are the final pieces.......

I am strong and happy.

I wonder about dragons.

I hear a snake slithering.

I want a cupcake.

I see Optimus Prime.

I am strong and happy.

I pretend I am a teacher.

I touch a monster snake.

I worry about sick people.

I cry with snake monsters.

I understand how to play transformers and power rangers.

I dream about being in a hole.

I say I miss you.

I try to jump rope.

I hope for presents.

I am strong and happy.

                                                                     

I am happy and mad.

I wonder about snakes.

I hear a dragon flying.

I see a purple pig flying.

I want a pretty, pink flower.

I am happy and mad.

I pretend my dress can't move.

I feel a soft box.

I touch a rainbow and it makes me a princess dress.

I worry about mud.

I cry when I miss people.

I am happy and mad.

I understand how to spell ant.

I say I love my mom.

I dream about a princess.

I try.

I hope.

I am happy and mad.

                              

I am shy and happy.

I wonder about animals.

I hear a pig sound.

I see a unicorn and a blue pig.

I want a cat and a puppy.

I am shy and happy.

I pretend to be a mom.

I feel sad.

I touch my puppy.

I worry that my puppy will die.

I cry because I miss someone.

I am shy and happy.

I understand my mom and dad.

I try to get my puppy.

I dream about my puppy.

I say I love my puppy.

I hope the tooth fairy will come.

I am shy and happy.

I am kind and happy.

I wonder about dragonflies.

I hear a unicorn.

I want a spider.

I am kind and happy.

I pretend I am Rapunzel.

I feel pencils.

I touch a paintbrush.

I worry about my mom and dad.

I cry at mad people.

I am kind and happy.

I understand that my mom loves me so much.

I say that Grandmommy loves me.

I dream about unicorns that fly.

I try to take pictures.

I hope for a dog.

I am kind and happy.

I am smart and funny.

I wonder about salamanders.

I hear a bird talking like a human.

I see a tiger growling.

I want a dog.

I am smart and funny.

I pretend I am a polar bear.

I feel fine.

I touch a star.

I worry if I loose something.

I cry when I am lost.

I am smart and funny.

I understand that I don't know.

I say I like all seasons except winter.

I dream about flying.

I try to do my work.

I hope I will be finished soon.

I am smart and funny.

I am happy and strong.

I wonder about paintings.

I hear a lion.

I see a unicorn.

I want shiny hair.

I am happy and strong.

I pretend I am a ballerina.

I feel presents.

I touch a blue bird.

I worry about people that cry.

I cry when I fall down.

I am happy and strong.

I understand that dogs bark.

I say I love you Nohea.

I dream about going fishing.

I try to keep working.

I hope for surprises.

I am happy and strong.

I am six and strong.

I wonder about frogs.

I hear a unicorn.

I see birds.

I want birthday cake.

I am six and strong.

I pretend I am not real.

I feel sick.

I touch my dress.

I worry about dragons.

I cry about monsters.

I am six and strong.

I am happy and funny.

I wonder about elephants.

I hear frogs.

I see pigs.

I want a blue bird.

I am happy and funny.

I pretend a guy in a suit is a bird.

I touch a bird.

I worry about mommy.

I cry when mommy is gone.

I am happy and funny.

I understand that cats meow.

I say my dad is cool.

I dream Amma is coming to my house.

I try to make beautiful pictures.

I am happy and funny.

I am mad and happy.

I wonder about lions.

I hear drums.

I see dragons.

I want ice cream.

I am mad and happy.

I pretend I am Thor.

I feel I don't know.

I touch the paper.

I worry about nothing.

I cry when someone hits me.

I am mad and happy.

 "I like blue."

 

Leaves

After reading a story about leaves, the students started to notice a tree outside the classroom window.  They watched each day as the leaves slowly began to change color.  What makes a leaf change colors?  Annika piped up, "It photosynthesis!" 

We started talking about chlorophyll and how it gives the leaf the green color.  Annika did research with Ms. Robin on the computer and they have begun a science experiment to remove the chlorophyll from the leaf so we can see all of the colors in the leaf.

We looked at a few leaves and saw all these lines in each of the leaves.  So, the children decided to draw leaves with the veins while in art class.

Some leaves had their spring time color,

while others had all the beauty of fall. 

We used our papers to conduct math problems.  We read word problems and used our math skills to find out how many leaves we drew, how many veins, and to compare leaves.

But regardless of color, each vein seemed to have all of these lines.  What were they called?

The students learned that the big line in the middle of the leaf is called the midrib.  The smaller lines are the veins that carry nutrients. What kind of nutrients?  "Water," Sophia quickly shared.

The students brought in all types of leaves to look at.

They quickly decided to make clay models of their leaves, carefully placing each "vein."

Big leaves...

Small leaves...

Wide leaves...

They all made leaves different types of leaves.

We were so excited about the leaves, that we ventured over to the park to discover more.

 We found plenty of leaves and in all shapes and sizes.

We used this chart to compare our leaves to find out what type of leaf we found.  We even labeled the leaves based on their shapes. 

We started to noticed that the veins looked different on the various types of leaves.

We soon found out that leaves with a cluster of veins are called dicot leaves.

And leaves with straight veins are called monocot.

We used our information about leaves not only in science class but also in math and writing.  If you want to know anything about leaves, just ask us; we are leaf geniuses.  ;-)