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Leaf Weight-Loss Plan

Fall

Return to Fall Lessons? We've "G-autumn"!

Subjects
  • Mathematics
  • Science
Grades 3-5

Brief Description

Students measure the weight of a container of leaves daily to discover how quickly it grows lighter as the foliage dries.

Objectives

Students
  • weigh a pile of leaves daily.
  • graph the measurements.

Keywords

fall, leaf, leaves, weigh, weight, measure, measurement, graph, September, photosynthesis, autumn

Materials Needed

  • leaves that will flex without breaking
  • a container to hold the leaves
  • scale or balance
  • graph paper
  • pencils

Lesson Plan

Visit Leaf Math and scroll down to "Leaf Weight-Loss Plan." In this simple lesson, students gather freshly fallen leaves and weigh them with a balance or scale. Each day, measurements are taken to track the weight loss of the leaves as they dry in the classroom. See suggestions and variations for this activity as well as other great leaf lessons in the Fall Math Idea Bank.

Assessment

Teachers may observe students as they work, and student graphs might be collected and evaluated for accuracy.

Lesson Plan Source

Math Cats

Submitted By

Cara Bafile

National Standards

MATHEMATICS: Measurement

  • GRADES 3 - 5

    • NM-MEA.3-5.1 Understand Measurable Attributes of Objects and the Units, Systems, and Processes of Measurement
    NM-MEA.3-5.2 Apply Appropriate Techniques, Tools, and Formulas to Determine Measurements

MATHEMATICS: Data Analysis and Probability
  • GRADES 3 - 5
    •
    NM-DATA.3-5.1 Formulate Questions That Can Be Addressed With Data and Collect, Organize, and Display Relevant Data to Answer
    NM-DATA.3-5.2 Select and Use Appropriate Statistical Methods to Analyze Data
    NM-DATA.3-5.3 Develop and Evaluate Inferences and Predictions That Are Based on Data

MATHEMATICS: Geometry
  • GRADES 3 - 5
    •
    NM-GEO.3-5.2 Specify Locations and Describe Spatial Relationships Using Coordinate Geometry and Other Representational Systems

See more fall lessons in our Awesome Autumn archive.

Click to return to the Fall Lessons? We've "G-autumn" lesson plan page.

Originally published 09/20/2002
Links last updated 09/01/2006

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