Tree Leaf Collection Guidelines
Each grade level in Indiana has mentions in its science standards some of the process skills
and information relevant to tree finding. Examples include:
 (4.3.1) Observe and describe how offspring are very much, but not exactly, like their parents
or one another. Describe how these differences in physical characteristics among individuals
in a population may be advantageous for survival and reproduction.
 (4.3.2) Observe, compare and record the physical characteristics of living plants or animals
from widely different environments. Describe how each plant or animal is adapted to its
environment.
 (5.3.1) Observe and classify common Indiana organisms as producers, consumers,
decomposers, predator and prey based on their relationships and interactions with other
organisms in their ecosystem.
 (6.3.4) Recognize that plants use energy from the sun to make sugar (i.e., glucose) by the
process of photosynthesis (can be used to introduce this concept).
Trees provide a great way for people to make observations about the intricate patterns found
in nature. As a teacher they also help you take students outside to study ecosystems and the
importance of nature. And, students love to work outdoors! Your assignment will be to collect
leaves from 20 different species of native trees in Indiana. You can use the ones we practice
with in class as well. You will place these into a collection of your choosing. Several examples
include presenting them in a photo album, laminating and placing them into a binder, adorning
them upon a decorated poster, or displaying on an electronic website. You will earn points for
each correctly identified leaf, accompanying description, and submission sheet. I will only
assess the first twenty leaves in your collection. You must have at least one different leaf for
each of the following characteristics (complete “Tree Leaf Collection Sheet” to be turned in with
leaves):
1. 1 tree with needle leaves
5. 1 tree with smooth leaves
2. 1 tree with compound leaves
6. 1 tree with lobed leaves
3. 1 tree with simple leaves
7. 1 tree with palmately veined leaves
4. 1 tree with toothed leaves
8. 1 tree with pinnately veined leaves
Each leaf is to be accompanied by a card (or other type of method) that contains the
following classification information:
 Common & Scientific name of tree
 Date collected, location (city or GPS coordinates), surrounding environmental
setting/conditions (by a river, residential neighborhood, open field, sandy soil, etc.)
 Page numbers of pathway to find each tree in our tree finder book
Assessment
 Leaf identification (80 points total)
 4 points for each correctly identified leaf
 Format and neatness (20 points total)
 Submission sheet present and all leaves contain classification information, neatness,
pressing of leaves, presentation, originality, pictures, matting, etc.
Making a Tree Leaf Collection
Before leaves are prepared for the collection, they need to undergo a final
drying and preserving process which can take up to six weeks. The best way to do
this is by using a leaf press. The press not only preserves much of the leaf's color
and shape, it also reduces moisture to a point where mold and spoilage is
minimized.
Students given an assignment to make a leaf collection generally don't have
weeks to prepare a collection. However, you must dedicate at least three to five
days of "press" time for each leaf depending on its size and moisture content. Leaf
exhibits become more attractive as the length of pressing time is extended.
Although I recommend you use a real leaf press for best results, there is a
‘low cost’ method used to press leaves. This method requires no special equipment
and is outlined below. The method does demand a lot of space, a flat surface and a
tolerant family.
1. Select a flat area on the floor, desk, or tabletop in a room with good air
circulation.
2. Place wax paper or foil on the surface you choose. This is for protection of
both the leaves and the surface.
3. Prepare necessary sheets of unfolded newspaper adequate for the number of
leaves you have collected. You want several paper thicknesses per layer
between each pressing.
4. Place the fresh leaf specimen(s) to be pressed on the first sheet layers. Be
careful not to let leaves overlap or wrinkle by overcrowding. Then simply
use additional layers of paper between more pressings.
5. Cover the top and final layer of newspaper with stiff cardboard or plywood,
which has been cut to the same size as the paper.
6. Place sufficient weight (books, bricks, etc.) on top of the plywood/cardboard
to press leaves flat and hold them in position.
http://forestry.about.com/od/treeidentification/ht/build_leaf_pres.htm
Tree Leaf Collection Sheet
Jamie Beck
Name_________________________
Identify the leaf you collected for the properties below (a leaf may only be used once to
complete a category).
Pitch Pine
1. Needle leaves= __________________
Black Locust
2. Compound leaves= ______________
Pin Cherry
3. Simple leaves= __________________
Cork Elm
4. Toothed leaves= _________________
Pawpaw
5. Smooth leaves= _________________
Sassafras
6. Lobed leaves= __________________
Sweet Gum
7. Palmately veined leaves= ___________
Tulip
8. Pinnately veined leaves= ___________
Write the common name of the tree in your collection in the blank to the right of the
number for which it is found in your collection.
Pin Cherry
1. _______________________
Douglas Fir
11. _______________________
Red Maple
2. _______________________
Sweet Gum
12. _______________________
Black Locust
3. _______________________
Pitch Pine
13. _______________________
Swamp-White Oak
4. _______________________
American Elm
Sugar Maple
14. _______________________
5. _______________________
White Pine
15._______________________
Scarlet Oak
6. _______________________
Sassafras
16._______________________
Sycamore
7. _______________________
Shagbark Hickory
17. _______________________
Tulip
8. _______________________
Cork Elm
18. _______________________
White Ash
9. _______________________
Scrub Pine
19._______________________
Pawpaw
10._______________________
English Oak
20._______________________