LEAF COLLECTION PROJECT
|| lab || trees 1 & 2 || home || leaves || leaf project ||

Purpose
To become familiar with the varieties of trees native to our area.
To learn the method of leaf identification and classification.
To have the opportunity to be outdoors appreciating and making observations about your environment.

Leaf Collection
1. Collect ten (10) different leaves from ten (10) different trees.
---For example, there should be only one kind of maple.
2. Identify the common and scientific name for each tree.

Note:
Collect only whole leaves.
Start immediately to find good specimens.
Try to collect leaves that have fallen.

Mounting
To flatten:
Place leaf between sheets of paper and place heavy books on top of them so that they will be pressed flat.
Mount:
Place them between sheets of wax paper and lightly press them with a warm iron. (remember to place between brown paper to protect your iron).
Note:
Only one of a kind is to be mounted on a sheet of plain white paper.
Do not have more than one leaf of one kind per sheet of paper.
Be sure to attach leaf with the vein side up.

Project Assembly
1. Front cover - should contain the following:
- LEAF COLLECTION (centered on the page)
- Drawing or pictures of a leaf or leaves somewhere on your cover
- Full Name
- Class Period
- Month, Day Year

2. Table of Contents - list each leaf by its common name and scientific name. Title this page Table of Contents. Place it behind the front cover.

3. Ten (10) individual leaves - each on a separate page behind the Table of Contents. Remember - only ten leaves are required. Any additional specimens above ten will be given extra credit on your grade.

Sample:
1. Attach each specimen to a sheet of plain white paper.
2. Label each kind of leaf with two names below your specimen.
Labeling:
Common name - is the one people call it. Use the common name in a tree identification book.
Scientific name (Genus name -capitalized - Species should be lowercase)

Common Name: White Ash Scientific Name: Fraxinus americana

4. Prepare a Works Cited page - that lists the Internet sites and books you used to identify your tree/leaves.

Checklist (Check off to be sure you have included all parts)
____ Cover with leaf decoration
____ Information on cover
____ Table of Contents
____ Ten plain white pages with a different kind of leaf on each page (labeled)
____ Works Cited page
____ Back cover (blank sheet of heavy white paper)

|| lab || trees 1 & 2 || home || leaves || leaf project ||