HONORS BIOLOGY
FIRST QUARTER PROJECT
“THE BIG HACKIN’LEAF COLLECTION”
Your first quarter project will be a leaf collection. You will be collecting, preserving, identifying
and displaying 38 different species of leaves that are common to Pennsylvania. Due to the huge
amount of work involved with this project, the leaf collection will be worth 200 points. Each correctly
identified specimen will be worth 5 points, totaling 190 points. The remaining 10 points will be for
neatness. Due date will be Friday, October 17th.
Remember, when you harvest your leaves, they should be attached to part of the stem, so you
may see the arrangement of the leaves. This will assist you in the identification process. You have
been instructed how to preserve your leaves in class. Each specimen will need a label, which should
include the following information:
number (refer to list)
family name
scientific name
common name
place of harvest (be specific, please)
Family:
Family:
Family:
Family:
Family:
Family:
Family:
Family:
Aceraceae
1. sugar maple
2. red maple
3. silver maple
4. Norway maple
5. box elder *
6. striped maple
Aquifoliaceae
7. American (or English) holly
Betulaceae
8. sweet birch
9. river birch
10. paper birch
11. gray birch
12. Common alder
Bignoniaceae
13. Northern catalpa
Coranaceae
14. flowering dogwood
Cupressaceae
15. Eastern red cedar
16. Northern white cedar
17. Common juniper
Eleagnaceae
18. Russian olive
Fagaceae
19. white oak
20. chestnut oak
21. Northern red oak
22. scarlet oak
23. black oak
Family:
Family:
Family:
Family:
Family:
Family:
Family:
Family:
Family:
Family:
Family:
Family:
Family:
Family:
24. pin oak
25. burr oak
26. black jack oak
27. American beech
28. American chestnut
Ginkgoaceae
29. ginkgo
Hamamelidaceae
30. sweetgum
31. witch hazel
Hippocastanaceae
32. common horsechestnut *
Juglandaceae
33. Eastern black walnut *
34. shagbark hickory *
35. pignut hickory *
Lauraceae
36. common sassafras (all 3 types)
Leguminosae
37. black locust *
38. honey locust *
39. redbud
Magnoliaceae
40. tulip tree
41. cucumber magnolia
Oleaceae
42. white ash *
43. common lilac
44. black ash *
45. mountain ash *
Pinaceae
46. Eastern hemlock
47. Eastern white pine
48. red pine
49. pitch pine
50. tamarack (larch)
51. Norway spruce
52. fir (genus)
Plantanaceae
53. sycamore
Rosaceae
54. hawthorn (genus)
55. cherry (genus)
Salicaceae
56. willow (genus)
57. quaking aspen
58. big toothed aspen
59. Lombardy poplar
Simarubaceae
60. tree of heaven *
Tiliaceae
61. basswood
Family:
Ulmaceae
62. American elm
63. slippery elm
Some helpful hints:
Don’t wait until October to start collecting. Go with your friends and family. It is amazing what
a walk in the woods can do for one’s spirit. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. As most of you
couldn’t tell an oak from a maple, I know that by the end of this project, you will have gained
knowledge which will last a lifetime. Hopefully this will begin or reinforce a life long love of
nature.
Please be prepared to bring your leaves in during a designated time during the first quarter so
we can discuss your newly gained tree knowledge.
Good luck and please don’t hesitate to ask for help!!!!!!!!!!
Mrs. Weinrich