How to Make Bark and Leaf Rubbings
- September 2, 2010
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Make bark and leaf rubbings to learn more about the nature of the plants growing around us and the wondrous patterns which define them.
You Will Need
- Paper
- Tape
- Crayons
- Clipboard
- Paste
- Cardboard
- Tree field guide (optional)
Step 1: Take supplies to the habitat site
Take your paper, tape, crayons, and a clipboard to the habitat site you wish to investigate.
Use a tree field guide to classify trees and leaves.
Step 2: Tape paper to tree
Tape a sheet of paper to the trunk of a tree you wish to study.
Step 3: Use peeled crayon to rub
Peel the paper cover from a crayon and rub the side of the crayon across the paper, picking up the bark pattern. Remove the paper from the tree and repeat the process on a different tree species.
Make rubbings of at least two tree species to compare bark characteristics.
Step 4: Select leaves
Select one or more leaves to place on the clipboard, cover them with a sheet of paper, and then rub across the paper with a peeled crayon to pick up leaf shapes and veins.
Step 5: Collect leaves
Collect a variety of leaves before departing from the habitat to create rubbings from them later.
Make rubbings of several leaves from a single plant for in-depth study.
Step 6: Paste rubbings onto cardboard
Paste your rubbings onto pieces of cardboard for easy handling and preservation.
Step 7: Visit a natural area
Bring your mounted rubbings out in nature to identify trees and plants by matching your crayon images to flora. Consider yourself a budding naturalist now that you can recognize tree and plant species.
A single tree can absorb as much as 48 pounds of carbon dioxide annually.
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