This fun fall science experiment that teaches children how to see the rainbow in a leaf. An easy project that only requires simple household materials, this leaf chromatography experiment reinforces why leaves turn different colors in the fall and other fascinating photosynthesis facts found in LIFEPAC® and Switched-On Schoolhouse® sixth grade science lessons from
Alpha Omega Publications®. Plus, your child will also gain a deeper understanding of God's marvelous design of a leaf.
Materials:
Assortment of green leaves
Small jars (baby food jars work great)
Jar covers, aluminum foil, or plastic wrapRubbing alcohol
White paper coffee filters
Shallow pan
Hot tap water
Tape
Pens
Plastic knife or spoon
Kitchen timer
Scissors
Notebook
Procedure:1. Gather two or three large leaves from several different species of trees. (Maple trees and other trees that have dramatic fall color changes work best). In a notebook, designate a page for each of the leaves and record the different colors you see in each of the leaves.
2. Cut two long, thin strips of coffee filter paper for each jar. Use half of the coffee filter strips to label the jars with each tree's name and location.
3. Tear or cut the leaves into tiny pieces and put them into separate small jars.
4. Add just enough rubbing alcohol to cover the leaves in each jar. Carefully chop or grind them into the alcohol using a plastic knife or spoon. NOTE: Isopropyl rubbing alcohol can be harmful if not used correctly. Read label warnings and directions carefully.
5. Loosely cover the top of the jars with lids, plastic wrap, or aluminum foil.
6. Place the jars into a shallow pan filled with one inch of very hot tap water.
7. Allow the jars to stand in the hot water for at least a half hour (longer if necessary) until the alcohol has become colored (the darker the solution, the better). Gently swirl each jar every five minutes and replace the hot water if it starts to cool.
8. Uncover the jars and remove them from the water.
9. On one end only, label the remaining coffee filter strips with each tree's name and location.
Then, place the strips into the appropriate jars, so one end is immersed in the alcohol, and the labeled end is wrapped around a pen suspended across the top of the jar. Secure the piece of paper with tape.
What you'll observe: The alcohol will slowly begin to travel up the paper, bringing the colors in the leaves with it. After an hour or two, the colors will travel different distances up the paper as the alcohol evaporates.
Depending on the type of tree, your homeschooler should see different pigment shades of green (chlorophylls), yellow (xanthophylls), orange (carotenoids), and red (anthocyanins) from the leaves.
10. Remove the strips of pigmented paper before the alcohol reaches the top and allow them to dry. The finished paper strips are called chromatographs. Tape them to the pages of your notebook and record your observations. How many colors are visible? Could you see the same colors in the leaves before the experiment? Based on your fun fall experiment, which tree leaves do you think will turn the brightest and least bright this fall?
Wow, I love her! Can't imagine life without Luci. What if we'd never gone to that adoption meeting.....
Homeschooling--so thankful that we are allowed to homeschool, and for the support of my husband in this endeavor. Here is a shot of an experiment done yesterday, demonstrating the density of different items. We are using Apologia Science this year. So far, so good with it.
This idea comes from NaBloPoMo, National Blog Posting Month. I think the 30 days of thanks started last year. I am not really sure. Here is the post that started many, many bloggers to post every day. I'm going to try it; I hope you will, too. If you do, please leave me a message so I can read your blog everyday!
Campfire at night--complete with silly songs. I didn't know the boys were so talented at singing "A Tooty-Tah-Ta." I thought that was just a Luci thing. The campfire ladies also chose Luci to take part in a song, but then had her go find her mom or dad. Since dad wasn't available, I got to embarrass myself in front of the crowd. Unfortunately, no pictures of that disgrace survived....
to make Smores! How did that marshmallow get on her temple??
Why I should be more diligent with Luci about what she eats. We were playing bingo. Prizes were candy and little toys. This was taken about 10 minutes after she started eating one of those Halloween packets of Skittles. She went from calm to pretty wild in that length of time. Thank goodness her reactions seem to be short--she was calm three hours later. Bryan's reactions used to last three whole days! Check out the Feingold diet for help with ADHD-type behaviors.
Good thing I brought the things for Luci's birthday cake with us. Naturally colored icing, courtesy of India Tree food colors. Not such a neat icing job, but cute and just what she asked for: "banilla cake, banilla frosting and PINK dots!"
Luci and I went to McGee Farm today. Luci was thrilled to ride on a hay wagon. She went a bit nutty as the tractor rolled into sight. Luci also painted her pumpkin and milked a "cow." Other shots in the collage are of JT swinging Luci around--that one made a neat shadow--and Bryan putting the new license plate on the van. Double-click on the collage to see it larger. (oops. It might not enlarge for you--it didn't for me.)
Oh, my goodness! I had such a nice time today. Luci and I ran off to Huntsville to the Build a Bear Workshop. The boys were supposed to be doing their schoolwork while we were gone. Suffice it to say that they are doing their schoolwork now. Luci and I had a grand time chatting about lots of things (almost all of her choosing, of course--there's only so much you can talk to a four-year-old about). After choosing the perfect (purr-fect?) Hello Kitty and a camouflage bear for JT (we named it Daddy Bear, of course), Luci and I had lunch in the food court. She loves the mall. Any mall. But this one had escalators and an elevator (which our one-story mall does not) and she was in hog-heaven.
