Observing Leaves and descriptive writing

Marcia Orcholski, Garlough Environmental Magnet School, West Saint Paul, MN.
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Summary

In this activity, students will explore leaves using inquiry and their senses. The students will go on a leaf walk investigating different leaves. They will bring back a select few to the classroom to continue the investigation. The students will then draw and write about one of their leaves and then share with a partner and then the class.

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Learning Goals

This activity is designed for the students to:
1.Be introduced to different types of leaves
2. Practice observational and inquiry skills
3.Describe the leaves using their senses

Context for Use

This is a kindergarten or first grade lesson for any class size and includes an indoor and outdoor portion. This activity will take two separate days, each about thirty minutes. On the first day, the students will be exploring leaves outside. The second day will start with a brief discussion, to activate prior knowledge on descriptive writing and drawing.

Materials:
For each child:
A sandwich bag
Pencil
Coloring utensils
Paper
Magnifying lens (they can share)

Prior knowledge required:
Descriptive writing
Proper use of a magnifying glass
Procedures for outside exploration

Subject: Biology
Resource type: Activities: Field activities, classroom activities
Grade Level: K-2

Description and Teaching Materials

Day 1:
Tell the students you are going to take them on a walk outside. They are going to explore the trees and the leaves on them. They are allowed to take different leaves, observe them and put them inside their bag. At the end of the walk they will have to sort through their leaves and pick 3 they really like to bring back inside. Walk around the school looking at different trees. Ask questions such as what do you notice about the leaves?

Day 2:
Have the students sit on the carpet. Hold up a leaf and ask the students to help describe what it looks like. Write down their ideas and draw a picture along with it. Help guide them with words like size, smell, shape, tip, color and lines. Take out a magnifying glass and ask them if they remember what this is and what it does. Demonstrate how they should be using it. Tell the students they will be picking one leaf from their pile and describing it just like we did. They can use a magnifying glass to help them observe the leaf a little closer. The teacher should write on the board some of the ways to describe the leaf for the students to refer to for their writing and picture. Once they are done find another student who is done and have them share with each other. When they are all done, have everyone get in a circle and individually share their descriptive writings with the class.

Teaching Notes and Tips

Remind the students that they have a job to do outside.

You may want to walk around and write next to what each child wrote. This way you can refer back to it later and remember what it said.

Make sure to get big enough baggies so the leaves can all fit in them and not get crushed. Also get the ones that will close so the leaves don't fall out.

Assessment

Listen to the students as they share.
Look at their work. Make sure they described their leaf using a lot of describing words and drew a nice picture to go with.

Standards

Science: I.B.1- The students will observe and describe common objects using simple tools.
Language Arts: I.B.1- The students will use words to describe and name people, places and things.
I.B.2.- The students will use words to describe location, size, shape and direction

References and Resources