Autumn Leaves Are Falling Down Lesson Plan

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What We Are Learning
 

Science Focus:

autumn changes

 

Theme Vocabulary Words:

autumn, squirrel, gathering, pumpkins, crisp, chilly

 

Skills We’re Practicing:

group discussion, critical thinking, vocabulary, science knowledge

  • The Leaf Thief by Alice Hemming and Nicola Slater is a delightfully silly story about a squirrel that notices that leaves are missing from its tree. As you read, prompt children to predict who the leaf thief is!

Leaf Silhouette Art

Materials: leaves, large sheets of white card stock, tempera paint in autumn colors, paintbrushes, plates for paint, masking tape

  • Create beautiful nature-inspired art with leaves!
  • Take your class on a nature walk. Have them collect fallen leaves of different colors, shapes, and sizes.
  • Back in the classroom, have children spread out their leaf collection. Encourage them to share what they notice about the colors, shapes, and sizes of the leaves. Ask each child to pick 4-5 leaves to work with.
  • Set out card stock, paintbrushes, and paints. Tell children to place their leaves onto their paper, leaving space between each leaf. Help them loosely tape the leaves to their paper so that the leaves stay in place.
  • Then have children paint the leaves and paper. Once they are done, help them gently remove the leaves, revealing lovely leaf silhouettes. If you’d like, have children try to guess which leaves came from which spots! art

Materials: symmetrical leaves, empty tissue box, white paper, scissors, crayons, markers or colored pencils

  • Explore the concepts of matching and symmetry—but with an autumn twist!
  • Go outside and help students collect leaves of different shapes, colors, and sizes. (Leaves for this activity should be symmetrical.) Use scissors to cut the leaves in half lengthwise. Place both halves of leaves into the box and mix them up, being careful so they don’t rip. (Limit yourself to using 4 or 5 leaves to start, making sure that they are different colors and shapes.)
  • Have children work in pairs to take turns picking halves from the box and then trying to make a match. When children find a match, have them trace their completed leaf on a piece of construction paper, then place the halves back inside the box. Another option is to place one half on the paper and draw the other half to create a mirror image. symmetry/fine-motor skills