Fall Leaves

Photo by Bengt Nyman

Today’s Topic: Fall Leaves

Did you know…

Chlorophyll gives leaves their green color, carotenoid gives an orange color, xanthophylls gives a yellow color, anthocyanin gives a red color and tannin gives a brown color.

Today’s Activity: Colorful Leaf Rubbings


You'll need:

Colorful leaves, white paper, crayons and a pencil

What to do:

Put a piece of paper over a leaf. Choose crayons the same colors as the leaf, then rub the crayons over the leaf in the same pattern. When you are finished, use the pencil to label each section of the rubbings by their chemical name.

For example: If your leaf is red, yellow, and green, rub those colors on your leaf and point out the chemical names that make the leaf that color in that section.

Question of the day:

During the summer we see green leaves. Leaves change colors in the fall...or do they? How and why do leaves change colors in the fall?

Learn more:

Maine Foliage: How leaves reveal their fall colors?
Animation of how leaves change colors.

Science Made Simple: Why do autumn leaves change colors in the fall?
Explains what leaves are, why they change color, and offers a project to separate color from a green leaf.

EEK! Why Do Leaves Change Color?
Why do leaves change color? Where do leaf colors come from? Does weather effect leaf color? Find the answers to these questions here!


If you would like more information about leaves, please join my Fran's World Yahoo! Group. It is free to join and open to everyone.
Already a member? Please use this link: 'Leaves'