If you are teaching elementary science, you’ll love this collection of leaf science experiments for elementary!
These fall science experiments cover everything from photosynthesis to a leaf’s life cycle and will show kids everything they need to know about fall leaves and the science behind them!
If you like these leaf science experiments, you’ll also like these pumpkin science experiments, creative STEM activities for kids, and our complete list of science experiments for kids.
NGSS Alignment
If you are following NGSS or some other state science standard, these are some of the catagories that these experiments align with:
- K.Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems: Animals, Plants, and Their Environment
- 2.Earth’s Systems: Processes that Shape the Earth
- 3.Inheritance and Variation of Traits: Life Cycles and Traits
- 3.Weather and Climate
- 5.Matter and Energy in Organisms and Ecosystems
- 2.Structure and Properties of Matter
If you want more NGSS aligned experiments, check out our NGSS science series here.
Leaf Science Experiments for the Classroom
While most of the experiments on this list were first done at home, they can be used in a classroom setting as well.
If you do any of these experiments in the classroom, you’ll want to have supplies for groups of 4-5 students at a time.
Here are some of our favorite science kits!
Learn & Climb Kids Science Kit – Over 60 Experiments, Fun with Science!
Scientific Explorer Scientific Explorer Magic Science for Wizards Only Kids Science KitCIRO solar robot kit 12 in 1 educational STEM learning science building toys for kids age 8-12Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100 Electronics Exploration Kit, Kids Building Projects Kits, Stem Engineering Toys for Kids 8+Soap & Bath Bomb Making Kit for Kids – 3-in-1 Spa Science Kits For Kids : Complete Soap Making Kit & Make Your Own Bath Bombs, Soap & Bath Scrubs : Kids Science Kit For Kids – Gift for Girls and BoysScientific Explorer Disgusting Science KitLearn & Climb Erupting Volcano Science Kit for Kids- 15 Experiments!Klutz Lego Chain Reactions Science & Building Kit, Age 84M 4605 Water Rocket Kit – DIY Science Space Stem Toys Gift for Kids & Teens, Boys & GirlsGiggleway Electric Motor Robotic Science Kits, DIY STEM Toys for kids, Building Science Experiment Kits for Boys and Girls-Doodling, Balance Car, Reptile Robot (3 kits)2Pepers Electric Motor Robotic Science Kits for Kids (4-in-1), DIY STEM Toys Kids Science Experiment Kits, Building Educational Robotics Kit for Boys and Girls,Circuit Engineering Science Project KitsLearn & Climb Science Kit for Kids – Set Includes Over 65 Science Experiments + Scientist Name tag!Dino Soap Making Kit for Kids – Dinosaur Science Kit for Kids : Great Gift for Girls and BoysLight-up Crystal Growing Science Experiments Kit for Kids – Grow Your Own Crystals and Make Them Glow : Best Gifts for Kids, Boys & Girls – STEM Toys – Crystal Making Science Kits – (Red White Blue)Thames & Kosmos Simple Machines Science Experiment & Model Building Kit, Introduction to Mechanical Physics, Build 26 Models to Investigate The 6 Classic Simple MachinesThe Mason Jar Scientist: 30 Jarring STEAM-Based Projects
How to Set Up a Leaf Science Experiment
Most of the experiments on this list take 2-3 sessions to complete.
Each kid needs some sort of science journal or worksheet to record their observations during the experiment.
Make sure you have all supplies for the experiments on hand and divide everything into groups before handing out to students.
If you’re doing the experiment at home, you can just set up everything ahead of time.
Go over science safety and the science behind the experiment before allowing kids to start. Once the lesson is completed, then you can hand out the supplies.
This will help eliminate waste, mess, and misuse of the equipment.
If you don’t want kids to use breakable materials, you can switch out most of the glass supplies for plastic equipment for these experiments as none of them have any material that has to be in a glass beaker.
And now, on to the leaf science experiments!
Brilliant Leaf Science Experiments for Elementary
These leaf science experiments will teach kids everything they need to know about leaves, why leaves change color, a leaf's life cycle, and more!
Chromatography is a really fascinating part of chemistry. CHromotography sheets are used to determine and prove what materials are in a substance based on how far that substance travels up the chromatography strip.
In this leaf chromatography experiment, kids can find out what colors are hiding inside of fall leaves, as the chromatography strips stratify the colors inside of each leaf.
The apple tree life cycle worksheet shows kids the process of leaf transformation and tree formation from seed to fruit. While this worksheet is aimed at younger elementary students, older kids can help use this worksheet to go deeper into photosynthesis and the life cycle of trees from a cellular level.
Trees make oxygen through leaves through the process of photosynthesis. While learning about photosynthesis and the cell structure of leaves, kids can do this simple experiment to determine how much oxygen trees are producing and if different leaf varieties create different levels of oxygen.
If someone were wanting to plant trees to create more oxygen in an area, what would the best variety be?
Crystals are fascinating for kids, and salt crystal leaves are simply a fun leaf-themed way to explore crystals during the fall.
Salt crystals will always form in a square shape due to their ionic bonds and molecular bonding patterns. Kids can use this experiment to explore a variety of crystal science and leaf science at the same time.
In this simple leaf science experiment, kids can explore how water gest to tree leaves from the roots. Colored water shows the path the water travels!
Learn about the types of leaf shapes and their scientific definitions. Both younger and older elementary students will learn a lot with this activity.
Using rubbing alcohol, kids can extract color from leaves and find out what chlorophyll is, and why it changes color during the seasons (and why sometimes it doesn't!)
Get an in-depth lesson plan on photosynthesis that you can use to go along with any of the other leaf science experiments in this list.
What are your favorite leaf science experiments? If you try any from this list, let us know how your experiment went!
Use #steamsational to share photos and videos of your experiments on social media!