Fall Leaves

A favorite October storytime theme is fall and leaves. This week I started my storytime by sharing a leaf identification guide that showed a few different leaves. You can download it here: http://www.imom.com/printable/leaf-identification-game/#.V_QXq6Knyso

Tap The Magic Tree by Christie Matheson is a fun interactive book that invites the reader to tap, rub, touch, and wiggle as they read to make an apple tree bloom, produce fruit, and lose its leaves.

The preschoolers really enjoyed this book. I asked them questions as I read to see if the children noticed what was happening to the tree. They were excited to share their knowledge!

Another book the children enjoyed was A Leaf Can Be… by Laura Purdie Salas.   This book showed a variety of jobs leaves can do. I asked the children if they knew leaves had jobs. They were surprised and ready to hear what these jobs were. At the end of the story there are several pages that explain the jobs in depth as well as a glossary of terms. This book is beautifully illustrated by Violeta Dabija.

Here are a few links to leaf related science experiments and activities.

This site shares a fun activity called Jumping Leaves.  Rubbing the balloon on your sweater or hair charges it with static electricity which attracts the tissue paper. This makes the tissue jump up to the balloon where it will stick until the charge wears off. http://www.science-sparks.com/2015/11/09/jumping-leaves-static-electricity/

When the weather is dry pine cones open up and when it’s going to rain they close down. It’s a really fun way for children to start to think about the future and what the weather will be doing.

http://www.science-sparks.com/2012/08/13/pine-cone-weather-station/

Observing leaves, learning about leaf structure and how they breathe are explored here:

http://igamemom.com/fun-science-activities-for-kids-about-leaves/

Here you’ll find an easy fall leaf science experiment: Exploring Colors & Chlorophyll with Kids

http://alittlepinchofperfect.com/fall-leaf-science-experiment-for-kids/