Explore edible leaves, what they do and how they work! Dive deep into your own human body with a vein comparison using the fun and magic of flashlights.

What you’ll need:

• purple or green cabbage, or both

• leaves from outside (tree or bush)

• flashlight

Flashlight Vein Exploration:

1. What is cabbage? Cabbage is an edible leaf plant. Pass around

   one green and one purple cabbage leaf. Are there lines? How does

   it feel? What do leaves do? Leaves provide food and air to help a

   plant stay healthy and grow. Leaves turn sunlight into food.

   Leaves “breathe” in carbon dioxide and “breathe” out oxygen, and

   help us breathe. Are all leaves edible?

2. Make a list of edible and non-edible leaves, and point out parts of the leaves. Dim the lights.

3. Using a flashlight, hold the light closely against the

   underside of the leaf, illuminating the veins. Then hold tightly

   against the underside of the children's clenched fingers, illuminating and pointing out their own veins. Veins in leaves carry water to the

   plant, and help them hold the plant upright. Veins in people help

   carry oxygen and blood to keep us healthy.

4. Print or make your own version (simply trace your child’s hand on paper to make your own!) of the hand/leaf picture (right) and encourage children to draw veins on the leaf, and on the hands. Help them study the difference in appearance of our own veins, to the leaf veins.

   DISCUSSION:

   Edible leaves vs non-edible leaves: discuss the difference between leaves we eat and those we do not eat. Examples: Trees leaves. Lettuce. Leaves on flowers. Do leaves grow above or below the ground? Do leaves come in different colors? Can leaf color change? What do leaves need to help a plant stay alive? Sunlight? Water? Fresh air? Can you find the parts of leaf on an edible leaf? On a leaf from outside? Use the picture below!