Plants are living things. This means that just like people, they breathe! Plants breathe in a special way called photosynthesis. When plants breathe, they breathe in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen. This simple experiment will help you "see" plants breathe!
Activity best for children ages 2 and up (with adult supervision!)
Materials
- Clear bowl or cup
- Water
- Large leaf
- Make sure your leaf is freshly picked from a tree, this won't work with one from the ground
- Rock
Questions to answer while experimenting:
- What do you know about leaves? Why are leaves living things?
- What do you think will happen when the leaf is under the water?
- What do you think the bubbles are made from? Why are the bubbles on top of the leaf?
Directions
Step 1
Fill a bowl with lukewarm water.
Step 2
Place the leaf in the water. Place the rock on top of the leaf so it is fully submerged in the water.
Step 3
Wait a few hours!
Step 4
Take a peek at the leaf and share what you see! You should see tiny bubbles on top of the leaf -- this is the leaf breathing!
Be sure to share your experiment with us on Instagram by tagging @sdcdm320.
Do you have questions about this activity? Email Education@sdcdm.org