Simple Leaf Pressing Copy

Botanists press leaves in order to perserve them and study their characteristics. By using this tool, you will learn a very simple way to press leaves in order to preserve and identify the leaves <i>you</i> have collected.

Engaging Questions

  • What is the process of preserving leaves?

Teacher Goals

  • The user will use an easy technique to press leaves in a timely way in order to preserve them.

Required Resources

  • Paper Towels

  • You will need one or more thick, heavy books for pressing your collected leaves.

  • Leaf Pressing and Preservation  -  Questions about the pressing/preserving process.

Steps

  1. Leaf Pairing

    Always remember to collect 2 leaves from each tree. Put the leaves in pairs.

  2. Pressing the Leaf

    Open the thick book. Put a paper towel on the page. Then place the paired leaves carefully onto the paper towel (make sure the leaves are not touching each other). Finally, place another paper towel on top of the paired leaves. Carefully close the book and open to another page to repeat the process with another pair of leaves.

  3. Helpful Pressing Info

    For best results, you should place a couple heavy books on top of your leaf pressing book for added weight. Keep the leaves in the book overnight.

  4. Final Pressing Process

    Open the book to a page with the leaves. Carefully lift the paper towel and remove the leaf pairs from the page. Then place the paired leaves on their own piece of plain white paper. This makes it much easier to see the leaf characteristics. Throw the paper towels in the garbage and carefully turn to another page to remove other leaves. Repeat this process until you have removed all leaves from the book.

Teacher Notes

  • It should take 2 days to press the leaves. 

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