Fall Leaves Lesson Plan

Purchase or borrow a book from the library that explains photoperiodism in simple, easy-to-understand terms – such as Why Do Leaves Change Color? by Betsy Maestro – and read it aloud to the class.

Go for a walk with your students to collect an abundance of leaves in a variety of shapes and colors (or collect them yourself prior to the lesson.)

Art Project Instructions

1. Hold up real leaves and ask students what colors they see.

2. Pass out leaves so the students can see that they have veins that form miniature trees.

3. Demonstrate the project to the students:

● Place several leaves all around the paper, and trace them with black marker.

● Draw veins on the leaves with black marker. (Or just one leaf to save time.)

● Color the sample leaf in fall colors, using crayons. Encourage students to press hard and use dark colors for best results.

4. While the students work (or the following day), fill disposable cups with a little water. Two for each student.

5. Mix a few drops of blue food coloring in half the cups and green food coloring in the other half.

6. Provide each student with a cup of blue and green “paint” and a paint brush.

7. Demonstrate how to paint the background with bold streaks of blue and green until the paper is covered. Remind students not to soak the paper with too much water.

8. Once dry, students can sign the front of their artwork at least 1” away from the edge of the paper.