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 Into the Woods AOL > 
Under the Microscope
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Arrow of Light – 5th Grade
Into the Woods AOL
Elective
Requirement 2

Under the Microscope

Arrow of Light – 5th Grade
Into the Woods AOL
Elective
Requirement 2

Under the Microscope

Snapshot of Activity

Cub Scouts use a pocket microscope to examine their leaf.

Indoor
2
5
2
If you want to know more about The Adventure Activity Key click here.

Before the meeting:

  1. Remind Cub Scouts to bring the leaf or needles they collected in requirement 1 and their tree inventory.
  2. Gather supplies.
  3. Set up meeting space with a flat space for microscopes.

During the meeting:

  1. Gather Cub Scouts and explain the difference between deciduous or evergreen trees.
    1. Coniferous trees have seeds that grow in cones, which is where the word “coniferous” comes from. When a cone’s scales open, the seeds fall out, and new trees can take root grow in cones, which is where the word “coniferous” comes from. When a cone’s scales open, the seeds fall out, and new trees can take root. Most coniferous trees are evergreen, meaning they don’t lose their needles in the fall.
    2. Deciduous trees have wide, flat leaves that are good at capturing sunlight. They are called deciduous because most of them lose their leaves each year. Deciduous trees do not produce cones. Instead, their seeds are contained in nutshells or fruit. Oaks, maples, poplars, beeches, sycamores, and ashes are examples of deciduous trees.
  2. Have Cub Scouts place the microscope directly above their leaf or needles at a 90º angle. Have the Cub Scouts turn on the LED light switch and begin viewing through the eyepiece.
  3. Help Cub Scouts adjust the coarse knob or focus ring to fix the focus. Then, help them move the fine adjustment or zooming dial to focus up close and in higher magnification.
  4. Give Cub Scouts time to make detailed observations. Have them check for:
    • Color. Is the leaf green? Has it started to change color due to the seasons?
    • Texture of the leaf. Is it smooth? Is it rough?
    • Edges of the leaf. Are they smooth or toothed?
    • Can they see the stomata on the underside of the leaf? (Stomata are tiny pores that open during the day to take in carbon dioxide and close at night to avoid losing too much water.)
    • Can they find the midrib and petiole? (The midrib runs along the center of the leaf and contains the central vein. It provides support to the leaf and ends in the petiole, the stiff stalk connecting the leaf to the plant stem.)
    • Unusual features on the blade (the flat part of the leaf made of green tissue which absorbs sunlight, making the sugar needed for the plant to grow). Are there holes from insects? Discoloration? Other damage?
  5. Discuss with the Cub Scouts their observations. Using the tree identification resources available, have the Cub Scouts work together in small groups to determine if their tree is deciduous or coniferous.

Other Activities Options

You can choose other activities of your choice.

Arrow of Light – 5th Grade

Leaf Rubbing

Indoor
2
2
2

Cub Scouts make a rubbing of the leaf or needles from their chosen tree.

See Details
Arrow of Light – 5th Grade

Leaf Snapshot

Indoor
2
4
2

Cub Scouts photograph their leaf and enlarge the image to determine if it is deciduous or coniferous.

See Details

Bray Barnes

Director, Global Security Innovative
Strategies

Bray Barnes is a recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, Silver
Beaver, Silver Antelope, Silver Buffalo, and Learning for Life Distinguished
Service Award. He received the Messengers of Peace Hero award from
the royal family of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and he’s a life member of
the 101st Airborne Association and Vietnam Veterans Association. Barnes
serves as a senior fellow for the Global Federation of Competitiveness
Councils, a nonpartisan network of corporate CEOs, university presidents, and
national laboratory directors. He has also served as a senior executive for the
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, leading the first-responder program
and has two U.S. presidential appointments

David Alexander

Managing Member Calje

David Alexander is a Baden-Powell Fellow, Summit Bechtel Reserve philanthropist, and recipient of the Silver Buffalo and Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. He is the founder of Caljet, one of the largest independent motor fuels terminals in the U.S. He has served the Arizona Petroleum Marketers Association, Teen Lifeline, and American Heart Association. A triathlete who has completed hundreds of races, Alexander has also mentored the women’s triathlon team at Arizona State University.

Glenn Adams

President, CEO & Managing Director
Stonetex Oil Corp.

Glenn Adams is a recipient of the Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope, Silver Buffalo, and Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. He is the former president of the National Eagle Scout Association and established the Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award. He has more than 40 years of experience in the oil, gas, and energy fields, including serving as a president, owner, and CEO. Adams has also received multiple service awards from the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers.