Leaves are tired
Leaves are tired right now because they’ve been busy all spring and summer making food for their trees. With the help of the sun, they take gases called carbon dioxide and water from their root systems and magically turn those things into oxygen and glucose (a sugar). Trees use this sugar for food which helps them stay healthy and grow.
Photosynthesis is the ‘big” name for this process. Another big name, chlorophyll, is the chemical that helps this happen. Chlorophyll helps make the tree leaves green.
Shorter Days and Cooler Temps
As days get shorter and the temperatures cool off more, the tree leaves are sent a signal that it’s time for them to help prepare the tree for winter. They stop making food and the green color disappears from the leaves.
Suddenly, we may see other colors like yellow, orange or red. These also have big names like carotene, xanthophyll and anthocyanin. Although many trees are beautiful in fall, it’s also a time for the tree to start going into sleep mode for the winter.
Watching leaves fall
Many leaves will fall from the trees during late autumn. In the Midwest, many broad-leaf deciduous trees will lose their leaves entirely for winter and begin growing new leaves in spring when the days get longer and the temperatures begin to warm again.
Conifer trees like pines and spruces are evergreen in the Midwest. Their needle-like leaves remain green all year.
Fall is a great time of year to explain these changes to your children by just getting outside and walking around, talking about what’s happening with various trees in your yard or in a nearby park.
Let your children collect falling leaves and press them in a book so they can look at them later and talk about why they were this color when they fell and look forward to spring when the new green leaves appear again.
Children learn about nature from experiencing each of its seasons. We have a living classroom right outside our doors to help them learn. Open your door and take a walk in it with your children today.
Deanna Frautschi is a local Naturalist who is passionate about connecting families with nature. Using her knowlegde of wildlife and her photography skills, she helps others enjoy the nature around them. If you have any questions about exploring nature with your children and grandchildren, you may contact Deanna at Decardinal@aol.com. Join the hundreds who follow her on Facebook where she posts photographs and short video clips of birds and other wildlife taken on her travels as well as in her yard. You can also join her "Nature Lady Lessons" and "Hummingbirds Anonymous" Facebook group pages.
Photos provided by Deanna Frautischi.
