IV.B.1 Part Two-Making a Collection of Leaf-eating Evidence
Materials needed:
- Leaf-eating evidence from Part One
- Sheets of 81/2 x 11 posterboard or heavy paper
- Tape and/or glue
- Ring binder or rings
Instructions for the teacher:
- Have students tape or glue the leaves to posterboard or heavy paper.
- Label the collection with the date and location of your study site, and
underneath each leaf, identify the "name" of the type of chewing.
For a more permanent leaf collection, press the leaves between sheets
of newspaper under several books for a week. Then arrange on heavy paper
and either cover the pages with clear adhesive paper or laminate them. Put
the pages in a binder or hold together with rings.
These booklets can be used as references and/or as a comparison for
future leaf-eating explorations.
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Notes
Although evidence of leaf-eating can be found any time of the year, the
best time for this activity bright is in the spring when the green new
growth emerges and the eating insects are present. Check the oaks regularly,
beginning in late February.
Results
After completing this activity, students should:
- Understand the concept of predator/prey relationships and give examples.
- Be aware that many plants and animals use chemicals to defend themselves.
- Understand the concept of ecological niche (which refers to one animal or one population of a species) and how it is different than microhabitat (which refers to a variety of species).
- Be able to observe carefully and record data.
- Be able to learn cooperatively
Further Questions and Activities for Motivated Students
- Examine fallen acorns for signs of life. Collect 20 acorns off the
ground. How many of those acorns have holes in them? Carefully open the
acorns. Do you see any animals in them? If you can see acorns still on
the tree, examine them closely to see if they have holes in them, too.
- In the spring, carefully collect caterpillars from oak leaves and put
them in a jar. Give the caterpillar plenty of oak leaves to eat and punch
holes in the jar lid so the caterpillars will have fresh air. Draw a
picture of each kind of caterpillar you collected. Keep watching your
caterpillars to see what kind of moths or butterflies they turn into.
Identify and draw a picture of the adults before you release them.
- During the winter, collect several oak galls without holes in them
and put them in a resealable plastic bag. Watch to see what kind of
gall-making wasp emerges from the gall. Use a strong magnifying glass to
get a good look.
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