Kindergarten Harvest Lesson Plans: Leaves II

In the second day of the leaves lesson plans, your kindergarten students will learn about different types of trees.

To prepare for today's lesson, there are a few things that you should collect before class:

Pictures of various trees (both deciduous and evergreen)

Pre-cut large leaves from brown construction paper

Washable paint

Paint brushes

Die cut leaves (several)

Chart

Discuss the names of trees. (oak, elm, maple, hickory, cedar, pine, etc.)

Explain to the children that some trees loose their leaves- those trees are called "deciduous".

There are trees that do not loose their leaves and stay green all year long-those tree are called "evergreen".

Explain that evergreen trees are used as Christmas trees.

Ask: What would happen if we used deciduous tree for Christmas trees instead of evergreen?

Painted Leaves

Using the large pre cut brown leaves, provide children with a variety of washable paint and paint brushes and instruct the children to paint the leaves.

Hang the leaves on the wall for display.

Leaf Pile

Using die several cut leaves, write a number on each leaf. (numbers can be repeated)

Scatter the leaves on the floor.

Instruct the children to pick a leaf and identify the number.

Make a list of tree names.

Ask the children to identify the first letter of each tree's name.

Ask the children to compare their names with the tree names:

Which student has a name that starts with an E like an elm tree? and so on...

Tree Shake

Play energetic children's music

Instruct children to:

* stand tall like a tree

* hold arms out like branches

* sway in the breeze

* shake off the leaves (at the time of this command, children should be allowed to dance in any movement that they desire)

Calm children down and start the activity over again. Repeat activity as many times as time allows. Be creative and add additional tree movements to the game.