This is part of my 15 minute focus series – easy science activities for pre-K, kindergarten or first grade.

Intro

We talked about how on some trees all their leaves are turning red and orange and falling off. But many of our trees and plants are keeping their green leaves or needles. I explained the basics of evergreen plants vs. deciduous.

We talked about the northwest native plants we’ve been learning about, and I told them I would teach them how to draw a red cedar or pine tree and a big leaf maple or other deciduous tree.

Drawing

I showed them how to draw a big green triangle, put a little brown rectangle at the bottom, draw a line up the middle, then add swishy lines down to make the cedar branches. They tried that several times. Then I showed them how to make a skinny brown rectangle for a trunk, add roots and branches, and add a green cloud for leaves. Here’s my example and some of their work.

Leaf Rubbings

I brought in several maple leaves. I showed them how to do leaf rubbings.

Song and Book

There are many good books about autumn leaves – you likely have some in your library.

Two optional songs:

To Head Shoulders, Knees and Toes
Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown
Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown
Autumn leaves are twirling all around,
Orange, yellow, red and brown, red and brown

To Wheels on the Bus
The leaves on the trees turn orange and red,
orange and red, orange and red
The leaves on the trees turn orange and red,
all around the town.
The leaves on the trees come twirling down… we rake the leaves up rake rake rake