Leaves

Students learn about the changing leaves with a hands-on approach. This cross-curricula thematic unit is designed for students to explore, read, write and much more.

A lesson plan for grade 2 Visual Arts Education and English Language Arts

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• Learn more about arts, colors, drawing, graphing, hand-on, leaves, and spreadsheets.

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

• collect fall leaves during a nature walk.
• sort their leaves according to shape, size, type, and color.
• graph their sorted leaves using paper and a spreadsheet.
• use their leaves to create a mosaic sun catcher.
• write a creative response to a given prompt.
• draw an illustration to accompany their writing.
• create a class PowerPoint presentation using their writings and illustrations.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

5 days

Materials/resources

• bag for collecting leaves
• 1″ grid graph paper
• maple leaf or other leaf tagboard template approximately 6″ × 6″
• laminate or clear contact paper
• permanent markers: red, orange, yellow, and brown
• glue and paint brushes
• drawing paper
• crayons
• paper and pencils

Technology resources

• computer with Microsoft Works or other spreadsheet program
• computer with Microsoft PowerPoint or other multi-media program
• digital scanner

Pre-activities

Prior to this fall thematic unit, the students should have a basic understanding of graphs and their purpose. They should also be given a demonstration of how data can be transferred into a spreadsheet to create a graph using Microsoft Works or other computer generated spreadsheet program.

Activities

Day 1

Take the students on a nature walk to collect leaves. Students should be given explicit directions such as, “Select leaves of different sizes and colors to get a variety.” I would recommend not letting them bring back more than twenty leaves. Next, have students sort their leaves according to size, shape, and kind of leaf. After analyzing and discussing these sorts, have students sort their leaves according to the following colors: red, purple, green, brown, orange, and yellow. To simplify for the next lesson, be sure to have the students all use the same color order on their graphs. Using a tally sheet have the students record their sort. Next, transfer the data onto 1″ graph paper, being sure to label correctly and give their graphs titles. Save for the next day’s activity.

Day 2

Whether using a lab setting or individual classroom computers, teachers should have the spreadsheet program ready with color names already entered. Students simply enter the number of leaves they had of each color next to the correct color name. Convert data to graph and print. Have students compare their written graph with their computer graph. Explicit directions are available in the graphing directions attachment.

Day 3

Using student journals have students write about what they saw during the nature walk. They should document things they saw, points made by the teacher, as well as discoveries of their own. Share entries during writing conference or circle time.

Day 4

Prior to the beginning of lesson you will need approximately three yards of laminate that has been run through the laminator. This will make it transparent. On the laminate, trace a maple leaf approximately 6″x6″ for each child. Cut out, leaving at least 1/2″ border. Give each student a yellow, orange, or red permanent marker. Have them color one side of the leaf completely. After it dries have students use a brown permanent marker to add leaf veins and color the stem. Using leaves that the students collected, choose ones with different colors. Tear them into different size pieces. Using glue that has been slightly thinned out with water and paintbrushes, have the students glue the pieces of leaves to the opposite side of the leaf which was colored. Let dry overnight. Use small pieces of scotch tape to adhere to windows.

Give the students the following writing prompt: “If you were a leaf, would you want to be the first leaf to fall or the last and why?” This is a mini writing lesson. Demonstrate by writing your response on board or overhead. The writing should be complete but no more than three sentences. Conference with students and help them edit their writing for technical errors. Have students draw and color (darkly) an illustration that reflects their response.

Day 5

Using Microsoft PowerPoint, have a blank slide open for each student. Have the students type their writing prompt responses onto blank slide. Edit and save each to disk using the students name for further identification. Scan each student’s picture, again saving each to a separate disc using the same naming scheme as the PowerPoint. (This will make it much easier in the end). After all students have entered their data and all pictures have been scanned, combine the disks into a PowerPoint slide show. Add graphics, colors, etc. Full PowerPoint instructions are attached as well as a completed slide show.

Assessment

There are several rubrics attached. For this thematic unit, I suggest anecdotal records as well as the rubrics for assessing the student’s work.

• Writing Rubric
• Leaf Graph Rubric
• PowerPoint Rubric

Supplemental information

See a fall classroom decorated with the leaves created in this lesson plan.

Comments

There are many ways that you can add to or change this unit study. The lessons for this unit were chosen as ways to best integrate technology, with a few extras!