Tea Party and Leaf Anatomy in the Garden

IMG_2142It was a brisk and overcast morning at Toluca Lake, but not too cold for a tea party!  My kindergartners warmed up with some garden yoga to get their limbs moving. We then toured around the garden hunting for interesting leaves. I explained a bit about leaves and plant anatomy; leaf veins are much like human veins, they carry liquid throughout the body in order for plants to live. Stems and trunks are also like our arms and legs!  They are main transport line that bundles the smaller veins to move the blood or water around.

My older students got into more detail about the purpose of leaves.  The reason leaves are green is because they posses chlorophyll- a compound that allows for photosynthesis.  When sunlight and green leaves get together they produce sugar that the plant metabolizes as food. (Think Maple Syrup!)

After our leaf exploration we had a tea party in the garden!  We infused lemon, mint, beets, and rosemary in water to make our special garden potions. These healthy concoctions were a surprising hit with ALL the classes.  Everybody requested seconds!



Jessica Brown