Why do Leaves Change Colors?
LESSON 4
Children explore why leaves change color then create their own leaf rubbings and paint them.
The book, “Summer Green, to Autumn Gold,” by Mia Posada
Cardstock paper
Watercolors
Black crayon
Paint brush
Scissors
Materials
Preparations
Gather materials
Read story beforehand.
Initiate a reflective discussion with children about their nature walk and the colors of leaves they encountered.
Read the story "Summer Green to Autumn Gold," guiding children to identify leaves from their walk and connect the story to their experiences.
Assist children in cutting out the leaf rubbings.
Oversee the use of watercolors to paint the leaves, promoting creativity and fine motor skill refinement.
Objectives for Teachers
Children reflect on their nature walk and discuss leaf colors.
Children connect the story to their nature walk and the colors of the leaves they collected.
Children practice fine motor skills creating leaf rubbings using cardstock paper and a black crayon.
Children answer questions about the story to practice comprehension skills.
Children create painted leaves, fostering creativity and artistic expression.
Objectives for Children
Collect and Connect
Practice saying the poem with the actions below.
Hold one hand, five fingers spread, wiggle five fingers while swaying.
Thumb floats downward
Cup other hand as nest for leaf
Hold up hand, four fingers up
Tap forehead with four fingers
Other hand to lips, blow a kiss
Two fingers leave forehead, float away
Hold up hand, two fingers wiggle
Two fingers wiggle and sway
Other hand surround lips and blows
Last two fingers fall into lap.
Five Little Apple Leaves
Five little leaves on an apple tree,
Danced and pranced so merrily,
One leaf floated away from the rest.
Making its home in a wee bird’s nest.
Four little leaves in the apple tree,
Thought, “Oh where could one leaf be?”
Light brother breeze blew a kiss.
Two little leaves flew off in bliss.
Two little leaves danced together
On the apple tree in stormy weather.
Big brother wind, he blew so hard
Two little leaves flew down in my yard!
-Betsy Jones
Activity Flow
Begin this lesson by reflecting on your nature walk and the colorful leaves you found.You can start with some questions like:
What colors do leaves change into?
Do you have a favorite leaf from our walk?
Which leaf color do you like the most?
Have you ever wondered why leaves change their colors?
2. Allow these questions to guide you into reading the story, "Summer Green to Autumn Gold." Begin by examining the first page of the story, identifying any leaves you or your child may recognize from the previous activity. Notice out loud that all the leaves on this page share the same color and ask if they can identify it. As you continue reading, connect the story to your nature walk and the colorful leaves you observed and collected.
3. After the story, engage in a follow up discussion to practice comprehension. Here are some questions you might ask:
What colors are hiding underneath the green color in the leaves?
What causes the green color to fade away and the colors to show?
When the leaves fall off the tree, does that mean it is dead?
What does the tree do in the winter?
What happens when the weather begins to warm up again in the spring?
4. Following the discussion, choose a few leaves to create leaf rubbings. Use cardstock paper and a black crayon to produce the leaf rubbings, then cut out the leaves and use watercolors t o paint them. Let your child select their preferred colors for painting the leaves. Once the paint has dried and the leaves are complete, you might consider incorporating them into your leaf mobile or creating a garland to hang in your home.
