OBJECTIVE: Learn that a bud is the beginning of a flower or leaf

GRADE: K-4, 5-8, 9-12 (adaptable)

MATERIALS: Twig with a bud growing on it, magnifying glass

PROCEDURES: Students will dissect a bud and in this process observe whether the bud will grow into a leaf or a flower.

PARENT/CHILD EXPERIENCE: Parents and children can watch the growth of a bud during the springtime and share in the experience of watching life grow in its natural environment.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Knowledge of deciduous trees, which produce leaves from buds, which are dormant during the winter. In springtime, with lots of water, these buds will burst into leaves or flowers

EVALUATION: Students participate in the activity.