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Fall Foliage Findings Activity
Submitted by: Pat S.
Recommended Grade Level(s):
Appropriate for: Pre-School – Grade 5
Time Requirements:
Activity Time: 90 – 120 minutes
Teaching Topics & Concepts:
• Life Science
• First Day of Fall, Living Systems
National Science Standards Alignment
Can be used to address the following National Science Content Standards in life science: K – 5 Abilities necessary to do scientific
inquiry and Understanding about scientific inquiry; 5 – 8 Structure and Function in Living Systems and 5 – 8 Regulation and Behavior.
Materials:
• A variety of fresh green leaves as described
• One small jar for each student
• Ethanol (rubbing alcohol)
Procedure:
What is hiding behind the green?
1. As the leaves turn colors in the fall, have students go out and get a variety of green leaves
– Steer the leaf selections (assuring all colors will be represented). In the classroom, the students are divided
into teams: RED i.e.maple (anthocyanins), BROWN i.e. oak (tannins), ORANGE i.e. sassafras (carotinoids), and YELLOW
i.e. ginkgo (xanthophylls).
2. Shred the leaves and place them into small jars with lids. Add enough alcohol to just cover the leaves. Loosely cover the
jars and set them into a shallow pan containing an inch or so of hot tap water.
3. Let the jars sit in the hot water for at least a half hour. Replace the hot water as it cools and swirl the jars from time to time.
The jars are "done" when the alcohol has picked up color from the leaves. The darker the color, the brighter the chromatogram
will be.
4. Place one strip of filter paper or chromatography paper into each jar, with one end in the alcohol and the other outside
of the jar.
5. As the alcohol evaporates, it will pull the pigment up the paper—separating them.
6. After 30–90 minutes (or until the desired separation is obtained), remove the strips of paper and allow them to dry.
7. Identify which pigments are present for each team. Why does everybody have a green pigment?
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• Hot water in a flat pan
• Strips of filter paper
