Leaf Race

Leaf Impressions: Santa Fe, New Mexico

Materials Needed: Leaves on the ground

Procedure:  The goal of the activity is for the team to blow a leaf of their choosing from Point A to Point B. Their chosen leaf must ALREADY be on the ground. In accordance with Leave No Trace principles, avoid picking leaves still alive and growing on trees.  Divide your group into multiple teams if necessary. 

Discussion Points to Consider: 

- What were some factors that made this activity easy or hard? (wind? communication? etc?)

- What was the decision process for you to choose your leaf? (shape? weight?) 

- Would this activity be easier with a small team, large team, or individual? Why? (If time allows, this discussion point could be up for experimentation) 

- Why were you able to control or not control your team's leaf? (the leaf shape? team dynamics? wind power?) 

- Why is aerodynamics and wind important in nature?

This could be an introduction on a lesson on how seeds are spread. Some seeds rely on wind to carry them to new places. Other seeds rely on other methods, such as being carried on animals, water, or gravity. Why the difference? 

Resource on seed dispersal : http://www.eoearth.org/article/Seed_dispersal

This could also be an introduction on aerodynamics. Teams could study shapes of natural objects (leaves, seeds, insects, etc) to determine aerodynamic properties.