Changing Leaves

In this activity, have students listen to the book, "Summer Green to Autumn Gold: Uncovering Leaves' Hidden Colors," by Mia Posada. This will help them better understand how leaves change through the seasons. After reviewing the story, explain to students the different types of leaves that change color and make connections to real life to give them a better understanding of the topic Next, give each student a white sheet of paper and have them get out their brown crayon. Provide paints for them to use. Students will draw their hand and arm on the paper to look like a tree with branches. Once they are done, they will color in the hand and arm with the brown crayon to create the tree trunk and branches. They will then draw two little half circles at the bottom of the paper to represent piles of leaves. Using their fingers, students will dip them in paint and make fingerprints on the tree to represent leaves, using orange, red, and yellow paint. They will also add some falling leaves by painting on the side of the tree and filling in the leaf piles with a mixture of orange, yellow, and red paint. This activity helps students visualize how leaves change color and fall to the ground as they go through the stages of their life cycle.

Extended activity, take the students outside to find leaves around the school. Once they have collected leaves, have them draw pictures of the leaves they found. Afterward, students can present their drawings to their classmates, sharing details about the leaves they collected and any interesting observations they made. This outdoor activity not only reinforces their learning but also allows them to explore and connect with nature directly.