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Fall
Slumbers
Lesson
Plan
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Summary:
Students observe changes in a selected tree leaf near
their homes during the fall. Twice each week students record changes in the leaf
using words, pictures, and numbers. Observations continue for a period of three
or more weeks. Activities in the classroom will emphasize tree adaptation for
winter survival. The Family Page extends this learning
to the community by inviting parents to facilitate home observations and discussion
related to seasonal plant adaptations.
Note: This
inquiry will require a minimal classroom time commitment and will therefore
be implemented in the midst of other classroom science activities. Begin this
activity on or before October 15th.
Indicates special instructions/modifications for primary classrooms.
Week 1, Day 1: Introduction
/ Begin Home Inquiry (45 min.)
Read through the lesson, but use the Fall Slumbers--Seasonal Changes
primary packet (see Ready to Print.) in lieu of the
pages below. For primary teachers this activity will take place at school
(rather than as a home activity). The class will identify a leaf to observe
together and complete observations twice each week for three weeks. See Put
It All Together at the end of this lesson for additional instructions.
Ready...
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Before
the lesson
-
Copy
a class set of the Thinksheet, Data Sheet, and Family Page. (See Ready
to Print.)
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Select
a tree at school as a model for the home inquiry.
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-
Gather the following materials: masking tape, a pencil for each student
Get Set...
- Introduce Fall
Slumbers to your students. This activity challenges you to:
- hypothesize about
the factors which contribute to leaves falling from trees in autumn
- observe leaf changes
(i.e., color, moisture, length, etc.)
- use observations
to hypothesize or predict when a leaf you identify will fall from its
tree.
- understand that
trees adapt to changes in temperature, light, and moisture by shedding
their leaves.
- Tell students
what behaviors you expect of them before, during, and after the lesson.
- scientific thinking
- respectful listening
- speaking in appropriate
voices
- participating
- Explain how
this activity is grouped:
- introduction
- home inquiry
- class discussion
Go!!!
-
Take
students to a tree near the classroom that sheds its leaves each fall. Ask
students to brainstorm reasons why this tree loses its leaves in the fall.
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Share
information on "Chlorophyll" from the Background
page.
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Distribute
the Thinksheet and give students a moment
to complete the "Think It Through" section.
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Demonstrate
how to tag a leaf using masking tape.
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Remind
each student to tag and observe her/his leaf prior to making a first hypothesis.
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Distribute
the Data Sheet and discuss. Have students use
this sheet to complete a practice observation on the selected school tree.
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Distribute
a second Fall Slumbers Data Sheet and assign the first home observation
(including a "First Hypothesis").
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Note: Allow
two or more evenings for students to complete each home observation.
Week
1, Day 3: Check Home Observations (20 min.)
- Share information
on "Water" from the Background page.
- Check first
observations. Share examples of high quality observations with the
class. Note: An opaque projector (Opa-scope) is an easy way to share student
work if available.
- Distribute
a new Fall Slumbers Data Sheet.
- Assign second
home observation.
Week
2: Check Home Observations (20 min.)
- Share information
on "Sunlight" from the Background page.
- Check second
home observation. Share examples of high quality observations with the class.
- Distribute
two Fall Slumbers Data Sheets for the week.
- Remind students
to make revised hypotheses. If a student's leaf has fallen off, he/she should
continue observing it. If a fallen leaf cannot be found, the student should
tag a fallen leaf from the same tree and continue observing it.
- Complete third
and fourth home observations.
Week
3: Check Home Observations (20 min.)
- Share information
on "Temperature" from the Background page.
- Check Week
2 observations. Share examples of high quality observations with the class.
- Distribute
two Fall Slumbers Data Sheets for the week.
- Remind students
to make revised hypotheses. If a student's leaf has fallen off, he/she should
continue observing it. If a fallen leaf cannot be found, the student should
tag a fallen leaf from the same tree and continue observing it.
- Complete fifth
and sixth home observations.
Week 4, Day 1: Check
Home Observations and Final Project (45 min.)
Get Ready...
-
Decide
whether you want students to complete a flipbook, sequence book, or their
choice.
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Gather
construction paper and cut as needed.
- Direct students to bring
scissors and glue (glue sticks preferred) to class ahead of time.
Get Set...
- Share information
on "Adaptation" from the Background page.
- Check Week 3
observations.
- Demonstrate how you want
students to complete their sequence posters and/or flipbooks.
Go!!!
- Create flipbooks
or sequence posters for sharing and display. (future photo)
- Hint: When making
a flipbook, fan out the pages slightly before stapling. This will make
it easier to flip through. (future photo)
Week 4, Day 2: PutItAllTogether
(45 min.)
Read Why Do Leaves Change Color and Summarize the Main Points.
Use the Fall Slumbers--Seasonal Changes primary packet as an Evaluation
tool.
- Read Why
Do Leaves Change Color? (or a similar picture book about seasonal
change) and discuss. To
maximize retention of the key points, discuss the Fall Slumbers Summary
Paragraph, then have students copy it into their science spirals.
- Summarize the
Main Points
- Changes in light
and temperature signal trees to lose their leaves.
- Trees lose their
leaves to save water over the colder months.
- It is difficult
to predict exactly when a leaf will fall from a tree, but in Ohio most
trees lose their leaves between mid-October and the end of November.
- Complete the
"Make Some Sense of It" section of the Thinksheet.
- Compliment
students for appropriate behaviors during the lesson.
- Evaluation
- Formative:
Weekly checks of student observations
- Summative:
Proficiency Assessment (See Ready to Print.)
Want
Something More???
- Check out
Related Resources.
- Read The Fall of
Freddie the Leaf (see Related Resources) and have
students create stories from the perspective of a leaf.
- Since this is the time of year
when trees are ending photosynthesis, model the process of photosynthesis
through drawing and discussion. Note: This is a directed activity whereby
the teacher models the process on an overhead projector or chart paper as
the students complete the activity in their science spirals.
- Direct students to open
their science spirals to a new page (or provide a sheet of paper) and
title the assignment Photosynthesis.
- Draw a horizontal line
across the page.
- Draw a tree and a cloud.
- The water cycle.
- Draw the water falling
from the cloud (precipitation).
- Show the water collecting
on the ground (collection).
- Put black dots on the
water in the soil and tree to represent nutrients collected in the
soil (percolation) and taken in by the tree's roots.
- Draw a large leaf in
the tree's canopy to represent all leaves on the tree. Point out
that the tree's leaves are the food factory for the tree.
- Show the water traveling
through this leaf (transpiration), then back to the clouds (evaporation
and condensation).
- Energy
- Add the sun.
- Show energy traveling
to the trees leaves.
- Discuss how energy
powers the process of photosynthesis which allows trees to live
and grow.
- Show energy leaving
the tree as heat. Remind students that energy cannot be created
or destroyed and sooner or later leaves the tree.
- Air
- Draw a person and another
animal of your choice (bunny).
- Show carbon dioxide
leaving animals and cycling to plants (the tree).
- Show oxygen leaving
plants and cycling to animals
- Define photosynthesis and
write its meaning at the bottom of the page. Note: photo = light, synthesis
= to make (food)
- Allow time for students
to write what they learned from this activity in their spirals.
- Optional: Have students
add color to finish the drawing.
- Give students
the choice of drawing or photographing their leaves as they change each
week.