Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration

This activity lesson aims to introduce 4-6^th grade students to leaf morphology and the process of photosynthesis. The lesson was designed for Kids in Nature visits to the Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration (CCBER) at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), but can be adapted to any classroom or outdoor setting. Students are engaged hands-on using various leaves and paint to print abstract artwork on canvas backpacks used for the program field trips but the lesson can be adapted to print on something else. The Kids in Nature (KIN) Environmental Education Program promotes the aspirations and achievements of students in underserved schools in Santa Barbara and Goleta, California by providing quality environmental science education and experiences through place-based field trips, mentored by UCSB students in the Nature and Science Education Practicum, utilizing hands-on activities to bring K-12 students outdoors and to UCSB. The Kids in Nature program is supported by the UCSB Coastal Fund, UCSB Office of Education Partnerships Faculty Outreach Grants (FOG) Program and the Mosher Foundation.