Sunlight and Shades of Green
Trees and other green plants make their own food by harnessing the energy of the sun in a process called photosynthesis. Chlorophyll, the pigment that gives plants their green color, is essential for photosynthesis. Without sunlight, leaves and plants turn yellow and photosynthesis stops. This occurs because without sunlight plants no longer produce chlorophyll. Use Project Learning Tree’s “Sunlight and Shades of Green” to explore what happens when you block sunlight from the leaves of a tree.

Young Child Extension
Take children on a nature hike to look at leaves and plants. Provide children with magnifying glasses to closely examine leaves. Ask children to describe the leaves. Ask what color the leaves and why they think they are green. Talk about how leaves are the “food factories” of trees and plants. Make leaf print t-shirts by using hammers or rocks to pound leaves on cloth to get the imprint from the chlorophyll!http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/family/decorate-kids-t-shirts5.htm

Book List
Grades PreK-2
Burnie, D. 2005. Plant. DK Publishing, Inc.
Burns, D.L. and L. Garrow. 1998. Trees, Leaves and Bark. T&N Children’s Publishing.
Cassie, B. and M. Burns. 1999. Trees. Scholastic, Inc.
Chisholm, P. and M. G. Bang. 2009. Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring the Earth to Life. Scholastic, Inc.
Claybourne, A. 2002. Plants. Raintree Publishers.
Dixon, M. 1998. Plants around Us. Smart Apple Media.
Florian, D. 2010. Poetrees. Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.
Gibbons, G. 2002. Tell Me, Tree: All About Trees for Kids. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.
Goldish, M. 1990. How Plants Get Food. Steck-Vaughn.
Kalman, B. 2000. What Is a Plant? Crabtree Publishing Company.
Kalman, B.1996. How a Plant Grows. Crabtree Publishing Company.
Maestro, B. and L. Krupinski. 1996. Why Do Leaves Change Color?. HarperCollins Publishers.
Riley, P. 2003. Plants. World Almanac Books.
Sohi, M.E. 1995. Look What I Did With a Leaf. San Val.

Grades 3-5
Asimov, I. 1989. How Did We Find Out About Photosynthesis? Walker & Company.
Ball, J.A. 2002. Plants. Gareth Stevens Audio.
Burnie, D. 2004. Plant. DK Publishing, Inc.
Burns, D.L. and L. Garrow. 1998. Trees, Leaves and Bark. T&N Children’s Publishing.
Cassie, B. and M. Burns. 1999. Trees. Scholastic, Inc.
Chisholm, P. and M. G. Bang. 2009. Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring the Earth to Life. Scholastic, Inc.
Dow, L., S. Addario, and R. C. Carolin. Incredible Plants. Time-Life Custom Publishing.
Ehlert, L. 2005. Leaf Man. Harcourt Trade Publishers.
Greenaway, T. 2000. Plant Life. Raintree Publishers.
Juettner, B. 2005. Photosynthesis. KidHaven Press.
Julivert, M.A. 1993. Life of Plants. Chelsea House Publishers.
Kalman, B. 2008. Photosynthesis: Changing Sunlight into Food. Crabtree Publishing Company.
Kalman, B. 2000. What Is a Plant? Crabtree Publishing Company.
Kalman, B.1996. How a Plant Grows. Crabtree Publishing Company.
McEvoy, P. 2003. Plants. Chelsea House Publishers.
Meucci, A. 2002. Plants. Gareth Stevens Audio.
Notkin, L. 1997. The Magic School Bus Gets Planted: A Book About Photosynthesis. Scholastic Paperbacks.
O’Donnell, L., et al. 2007. Understanding Photosynthesis with Max Axiom, Super Scientist. Capstone Press.
Ross, B. 1995. Straight From the Bear’s Mouth: The Story of Photosynthesis. Atheneum.
Sohi, M.E. 1995. Look What I Did With a Leaf. San Val.
Spilsbury, L. 2002. Plant Parts. Heinemann Library.
Stewart, M. 2003. Plants. Capstone Press.
Wyatt, V. 2000. Wacky Plant Cycles. Mondo Publishing.

Grades 6-8
Asimov, I. 1989. How Did We Find Out About Photosynthesis? Walker & Company.
DK Publishing. 1992. Plants. DK CHILDREN.
Howell, L. 2002. World of Plants. E.D.C. Publishing.
Juettner, B. 2005. Photosynthesis. Thomson Gale.
Kalman, B. 2008. Photosynthesis: Changing Sunlight into Food. Crabtree Publishing Company.
O’Donnell, L., et al. 2007. Understanding Photosynthesis with Max Axiom, Super Scientist. Capstone Press.
Ross, B. 1995. Straight From the Bear’s Mouth: The Story of Photosynthesis. Atheneum.
Silverstein, A. 1998. Photosynthesis. Lerner Publishing Group.
Staub, F.J. 2004. Photosynthesis. Creative Company.

Grades 9-12
Farndon, J. 2002. 1000 Things You Should Know about Plants. Mason Crest Publishers.
Parker, R. 2003. Introduction to Plant Science: Revised Edition. Thomson Delmar Learning.
Silverstein, A. 1998. Photosynthesis. Lerner Publishing Group.

Links
Wikipedia: Chlorophyll
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorophyll

Why Leaves Change Color in the Fall
http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/leaves.html

PBS: Illuminating Photosynthesis
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/nature/photosynthesis.html

Real Trees 4 Kids: Let’s Eat! (Photosynthesis)
http://www.realtrees4kids.org/sixeight/letseat.htm

Arbor Day: Teaching Youth About Trees – Beat a Leaf
http://www.arborday.org/kids/beataleaf.pdf