Life Cycles: Fall, Trees, Seasons, Apples

The Fall Season provided a strong foundation for our science focus on Life Cycles... not just individually, but life cycles as they happen simultaneously.  We studied how the change of seasons brought about the life cycle changes in trees, butterflies and apples.  In this way we developed an understanding of how the seasons affect people, animals and plants.  Each has a life cycle that is unending as they move through the seasons and seek what they need... warmth, food, and a way to grow.  We will follow these life cycles through the present season of winter and study how people, plants and animals adapt to winter conditions.

Identifying three main types of trees that are familiar to our landscape... sugar maple, evergreen and oak tree.  We found evidence of each and recorded our findings.

As evergreen trees drop their fruit (pine cones) other animals may depend on that food for survival. We found pine cones with their seeds eaten.

Budding scientists recording their observations.

We learned how chlorophyll covers up the other colors in sugar maple trees.  When it dried up in the fall, the other colors are revealed.

Demonstrating how chlorophyll dries up to reveal the colors of the fall season.

Our first science experiment recording sheet: How many seeds will be in an apple.  This experience lays the foundation for our upcoming winter experiments revolving around properties of snow.  We will complete 8-10 experiments with snow using this same recording sheet.

Our class trees represents the changing seasons... apples with a few bites missing!

Making delicious apple sauce.  Peeling, cutting, measuring and combining ingredients.

Sugar Maple Tree Journal: We adopted a sugar maple tree in the school yard outside of Mr. Shepard's classroom.  We are observing this tree through the season and recording our findings, noting how the seasons affect the tree.

What season is it and how do we know?  With each season we record what we learn about it, making sure we have proof... such as through literature we have read... about our findings and facts.