Young children are fascinated by nature. Take your child on an outdoor adventure to find out the job of a leaf. During the expedition you can gather leaves of different shapes and sizes.
Here’s How to Teach About Leaves
- Head outside with your child and ask, “Do you know what the job of a leaf is? Engage your child in a conversation about different parts of the tree (roots, trunks, branches, leaves) and record your child’s initial ideas.
- Engage your child in a conversation about the initial observations while collecting leaves from different kinds of trees with different shapes and colors.
- Bring the collection inside and make comparisons and observations. You can sort leaves by size, color, and texture.
- Add some math activities by measuring leaves using unifix cubes or a ruler.
- At the end of the activity, you will discover that plants need three things to make their own food. They need Water, Carbon Dioxide, and Light for a process called photosynthesis.
Tell your child that regardless of their shape or size, all leaves have the same job – to help make food for the plant.
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By Marnie Forestieri
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