A Journey Through Fall Favorites

Get Beyond the Walls is all about getting outside during any season, solving puzzles, learning new things, and spending time with our favorite people. 

The fall season provides the perfect chance to remember what it was like to be a kid with a thirst for discovery.  As kids, we used to collect a variety of colored leaves, make apple prints, and learn all about autumn.  

---

Childlike Discovery 

One puzzle presented to us by our teachers in science class during fall:   

Why do trees lose their leaves?
​

Now as an adult, you may know the answer but remember what it was like to be a kid and not know?  

The teacher would probably have explained it something like this - 

Teacher Mildred: "Now class, pay attention!  Pay attention! Johnny, I'm talking to you! Okay, settle down. 

Today you are going to learn why leaves lose their trees in the autumn. 

Johnny raises his hand. 

​Teacher Mildred: "Yes, Johnny?"   

---

 ​Johnny: "My mom said it's because the trees have to go to sleep for the winter, and they can't wear their leaves. They must like to be naked." 

The class erupts in giggles. 

Teacher Mildred: "Okay, okay, everyone!  Well, Johnny, your mom is right in saying trees can't wear their leaves during the winter. 

Now, let's see why." 

Teacher Mildred hands out plastic cups to all the students. 

Teacher Mildred:  "Everyone stand up at your desk.  Take a deep breath in and breathe out.  Now, let's do that again, but this time, I want you to breathe into the cup and see what happens.  Can anyone tell me what happened in the cup?" 

Johnny raises his hand and answers: "The cup got wet inside!" 

​Teacher Mildred:  "That's right!  When you breathe out, you are actually breathing out a bit of water every time. In humans, breathing is called respiration.  Trees have a similar sounding word called 'transpiration.' Transpiration is just a fancy way of saying that trees 'breathe' out water vapor through their leaves.  Does anyone know what happens to water during the winter?" 

---

Cassie beats Johnny to the answer: "It freezes!" 
​
Teacher Mildred: "That's correct! During the winter, water freezes, which means that trees can't replace the water they transpire through their leaves.  It's better for the trees to let their leaves fall to the ground before winter and conserve the water they have left.  That will help the trees survive until the spring." 

---

Okay, maybe your classes looked a lot different than ours growing up, but it's still an effective explanation of transpiration.  If you're looking for more with Teacher Mildred, check out her science project below.

Transpiration Science Experiment 

If you are curious why some trees lose their leaves and others don't, here's Teacher Mildred's science experiment for her second grade class: 
​
What you need: 
-two baggies  
-two pieces of string, each cut to 18" in length 
-one evergreen tree (the kind that have needles for leaves) 
-one deciduous tree (the kind that lose their leaves) 

Instructions: 
1) Go to your evergreen tree and find a low hanging branch.  Take one of your baggies and put it around one of the branches so that some of its needles are inside the baggie.  Tie a piece of string around the opening so that it stays with some of the branch inside of it.  

2) Go to your deciduous tree and find a low hanging branch.  Take your other baggie and put it around one of the branches so that some of the leaves are inside the baggie.  Tie a piece of string around the opening so that it stays with some of the branch inside of it. 
​
3) Leave it for 24 hours.  Come back to the baggies and compare.  Which tree has more water collected inside the bag?  This should solve the riddle as to why some trees lose their leaves and some stay evergreen. 

Favorite Fall Food

Another favorite part of this season of change is the food!  Food in the fall holds remnants of summer changing to winter.  We start to make  s oups and stews.  Pumpkin spice appears on every shelf in every food item, and apples fall from trees in abundance. 

From this bounty, people start to make a variety of delectable food items.  Applesauce, apple cider, apple cake, and apple pies can be found in any grocery store.  One delicious choice, a favorite, is less known and harder to find in a store.  Apple hand pies. 

---

They're delightful and a true favorite, filling the house with the smells of apples, cinnamon, and butter.  They are flaky with just the right amount of apple filling to pastry ratio. 

If you'd like to make some too, check out our favorite recipe choice!    

---

                              Walking in the Fall

Another favorite part of fall is, of course, the colors.  Yellow, orange, red, and brown.  The plethora of changing colors is gorgeous.  The temperature has that brisk feel that is just right for a walk outside.  

Loaded up with a warm drink, it's a great time to travel the city, see the changing colors, and try something new.  ​​​

---

                                         You're Invited

Get Beyond the Walls invites you to be a tourist in your own hometown.  Head outside with your favorite people!  Search for clues.  Solve puzzles.  Rise to the top of our scoreboard and all while enjoying the fall foliage around you. 

Try a game near you! ​

Did you notice some "fallen leaves" throughout our post?  Sort them out, and you will discover another fall favorite.

We hope you Get Beyond the Walls this season and savor the fall foliage! ​