Botany and Nature Work Leaf Collecting and Tree Activities

We've been keeping quite busy around here!  One thing we started last week was our leaf collection.  Then it ended up being 100 degrees this week, so we took a week off from outdoor nature work.  But, we will be back at it next week.

The goal is to identify all the trees in our yard.  Which there are a LOT of. I am pretty sure we have about 10 different types, and that's without heading over to my IL's who have a few more.  Living out in the country has its perks for leaf collecting :).

We started out reading the book Tell Me, Tree by Gail Gibbons.  We also read I Can Name 50 Trees Today from Dr. Seuss.  Both are good, but Tell Me, Tree was our favorite.  This allowed us to discuss that the trees are different in their leaves, bark, and seeds.  

Then we headed outside to collect leaves, needles, pine cones and acorns.

We also observed lots of things about the trees-like how the needles grew out of the branches.  

And took a good look at the sap on the trees.  

The next day we explored the leaves we collected.  We made playdough prints.  

We also put some in wax paper, somehow we don't have photos.

We did leaf rubbings.  This is my example.  I enjoy 'helping' :).

Mustang giving it a try.

I was going to have them match leaves to our Botany work.  But, before I could suggest it, Mustang had already started.  Yay!

For the little girls, we got out our fall sensory bin.  It's been a bit of a mess around here!

And, for Mini Cooper's cutting practice I found this great printable on Education.com.  I can't link you to the exact page, so search preschool, science, trees.  She loves to cut and paste, so this was a great fit for her!!

We have more to do with our leaf learning.  I would like to have Mustang and maybe Charger do a book of leaves and rubbings and identify them.  Should be a good project for the year.  

What have you been up to in your nature studies?  I'd love to hear your ideas!!

Thanks for stopping by and God Bless,

Lisa