Leaves: Sci Fri Chromatography
It's only taken me a decade, but I've finally learned that Mondays are a day to head to the forest for outdoor class. We packed up our supplies; glass jars, scissors, rubbing alcohol and sketching materials and drove out to the 5 acres across the property.
Here the kids gathered red, yellow and green leaves. We cut the colours into respective jars. Then covered them in rubbing alcohol. The effects were not immediate, so we set to our other morning duties.
jIn two days time, the leaves had left their beautiful colours in the alcohol.
We turned to online videos to learn more about chromatography and the big science words: chlorophyll, carotenoid, flavonoid, anthocyanin the chemical names responsible for colour in plants.
Then I handed out markers and tissue paper for bleeding leaf art.
Fun Science Demos by Jared
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mRS2Dt4ww0
National Park Diaries