Leaf Journals: A Fall Activity

Students of all ages find fall colors and leaves to be especially attractive, especially when they discover that different trees produce such varieties of leaves in color and shape. As fall begins to take hold in your corner of the world, it is a perfect time to work with the imaginations and creative natures of students as well while implementing the changing of seasons. Taking a natural interest and expounding upon it can make for an interesting fall project for young learners and with a bit of additional information can be used for older students as well.

To record thoughts about fall and leaves you will need a journal and with a small amount of work and construction, students will have not only a journal in which to keep their thoughts about fall but a learning tool on leaves as well. This journal when created will serve such a purpose with a minimal amount of preparation on your part and a lot of creative freedom on the part of the student.

Materials needed:

Leaves of all shapes and kinds. (be sure that you cover as many color combinations and shapes as possible. Be able to identify these leaves as well as you will be asked what tree they are from)

Book on leaves and trees for identification.

Construction paper

Leaf shapes (patterns)

poster paint

posterboard

writing paper (with lines if needed)

Instructions:

Cut a piece of poster board the size of the leaf pattern you will use.

Using the pattern, trace the shape on the paper carefully.

Cut out the shape of the leaf, being sure to leave some space to the sides of the leaf as a sort of "frame".

Using this frame as a stencil, paint inside the stencil very carefully.

When the paint is dry, staple the "leaf page" to the front of a stack of pages, making a book of sorts for the students to use as a journal.

IDEAS for the journal:

drawing pictures of various sorts of leaves, coloring them as closely as possible to their fall colors.

Writing stories about leafs falling.

Making lists of your favorite "fall activities"

Using leaf shapes as bases, write words on each leaf (page) describing fall

These journals can be made any size and can be used to keep a record of a special fall in a child's life. Dated and saved, they make wonderful keepsakes and something for generations to come to treasure and look back upon.