Objective:
The students will observe different types of leaves and complete Leaf Fact Books.

Materials

• A variety of leaves (The ones brought in by the students as well as a collection of the teachers' may be used.  Different sizes, shapes, colors, fresh and dead leaves, in addition to compound and simple leaves should be represented.)

• Magnifying glasses

• Leaf Shape Books (Create your own or use the following link Shape Books.)  Have one book per student with five pages per book.

• Links to the following sites: Science Made Simple, KidZone, MaineFoliage.Com, and The Great Plant Escape.

• Nonfiction Books about leaves.  Use the literature suggestions on the Leaf Home Page.

• Chart Paper or Blackboard

Procedure

1. Ask the students what they know about leaves.  Record their answers on the chalkboard or on chart paper.  Ask them what they would like to learn about leaves and record these responses as well.

2. Read the chosen nonfiction books and view the related web sites with the students.  Find answers to the questions of what they would like to learn about leaves.

3. Set out different examples of leaves and allow the students time to make observations about them.  They may use the magnifying glasses to study the leaves up close.  Discuss as a whole class similarities and differences among the leaves.  Relate information from the books and web sites to the leaves in the classroom.

4. Pass out the Leaf Shape Books and have the students write the words "Leaf Facts" on the front cover.  Depending on the age of the students, either work as a whole class or individually to write one fact on each of the four pages.  The students may then illustrate their fact books with drawings of the classroom leaves.

Other Lesson Ideas

1. Focus primarily on why leaves change color.  Use the following web sites - Science Made Simple and MaineFoliage.Com.

2. Focus on the life cycle of a leaf.  Share information from books and web sites.  Have the students draw in proper sequence the life cycle of a leaf, from a bud to a dead leaf on the ground.

3. If the school grounds are appropriate for leaf collecting, have the students collect examples of compound and simple leaves.  

4. Compare and contrast a fresh leaf with a dead leaf (brown and dry.)  Why are they different?