Science and Technology K–6 · Kindergarten
Leaves: sorting by shape, edge, texture and smell
Living World (NSW 2017); Science understanding, Biological sciences (ACARA v9)
The idea
Plants have external features that differ from plant to plant and can be observed with the senses and used to group them.
What you need
- 8 to 10 leaves per pair from known plants in the school grounds: fallen leaves, including a eucalypt and a broad garden leaf, plus a grass blade and a fern frond picked by the adult (these do not usually fall)
- A class reference card made by the teacher, with a labelled photo of each plant the leaves came from
- 1 hand lens per pair
- A4 sorting mat divided into 4 squares
- Recording grid with rows for shape (long, round, needle), edge (smooth, toothed), feel (rough, smooth, waxy, hairy) and smell (strong, faint, none)
How to do it
- Hold each leaf up to the light and look at the veins with the hand lens.
- Run a finger along the edge and across the face. Record the edge and the feel.
- Crush one corner between finger and thumb and smell it. Record strong, faint or none.
- Sort the leaves into the four squares by one feature you choose. Then sort by a different feature.
- Predict which leaf is a eucalypt from the smell alone, then check against the class reference card.
What you should see
Eucalypt leaves give a strong oily smell when crushed and are waxy and smooth-edged; grass blades are long with parallel veins; fern fronds are divided and soft; broad garden leaves show a net of veins. The same set of leaves sorts differently by shape than by edge, which is the point: the group depends on the feature chosen. The learner knows it worked when the prediction of the eucalypt from smell matches the reference card.
What changes
This activity lists no variables to change, measure and keep the same.
Common misconceptions
Each of these ideas is wrong, and the activity is a chance to test it.
- All leaves are green and the same shape.
- A leaf is not part of a living thing once it has fallen (it was grown by a living plant).
Safety card
Hazards
- Plant sap on skin; leaves picked from unknown plants
Controls
- Leaves only from known plants: fallen leaves, and a grass blade and fern frond picked by the adult; no tasting; wash hands afterwards
Note
No chemicals or heat. Record the activity on the school's risk assessment (Primary School RiskAssess, Ecosolve Australia, riskassess.com.au).
Curriculum references
The NSW syllabus outcomes and Australian Curriculum v9 codes this activity supports. They are references, not a verified or complete curriculum alignment.
- Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus (2017), NESA. Current syllabus; NESA's timeline is 2026 plan and prepare, 2027 start teaching the 2024 syllabus. Code read from the official syllabus document on 2026-09-22.STe-3LW-ST
- Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus (2024), NESA. Implementation from 2027, so this code describes the future syllabus. Code read from the outcomes page on 2026-09-22.STE-SCI-01
- Australian Curriculum v9AC9SFU01AC9SFI02AC9SFI03AC9SFI04
Sources
The pages the author read to write this activity.