Why Do Leaves Change Color?
Teacher Resources - Student Crafts and Activities

Teachers: Below you will find links to help with teaching students about why leaves change color. Also, craft ideas and activities to make learning fun. We've done the searching, so you won't have to!

Why Do Leaves Change Color? A Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Book, Stage 2 By Betsy Maestro / HarperTrophy Most children have jumped into piles of leaves or helped their parents rake the yard, and everyone has wondered: Why do leaves change color? This book explains the magical process of how leaves change their color in autumn. You'll also find activities that a child can do with leaves, and even a list of places known for brilliant fall colors that readers can visit with their families. Recommended for ages 5 to 9.

Fall Leaves: Resource Sites

The Chemistry of Autumn Color - Explains the chemistry of why leaves change color.

Why Do Leaves Change Color - Answers these questions:Why do leaves change color? Where do leaf colors come from? How do leaves change color? Do leaves change color because of weather? Can you tell a tree from its colors? Why do leaves fall?

Fall Color - Explore facts and folklore about the Fall leaf color changes.

The Miracle of Fall - All about fall color and what makes it happen.

Guide to Identification of Common Fall Leaves - Chart with color pictures of common fall leaves.

Autumn Leaves Curriculum Connections - Lesson plan including activities.

Fall Leaves: Craft Ideas

Crafty Noodle

Kids Turn Central

Artist Helping Children - Leaf Arts and Crafts Projects

Fall Activities

SurfNetKids.com:
Printable Autumn Coloring Pages

PreschoolEducation.com:
Fall Arts and Crafts
Fall Bulletin Boards
Fall Music and Songs
Fall Games
Thanksgiving Theme Incentives
Fall Theme Kids Snacks

Fall Classroom Decorating Ideas

Decorate your classroom with these great
Fall Scene Setter Decorations.

Recommended Books

I Wonder Why Trees Have Leaves By Andrew Charman / Kingfisher Inquisitive minds will love the format and look of the I Wonder Why series! Did you ever wonder why leaves fall in autumn, or nettles sting? Learn the answers to these and other unusual facts about plants from around the world with this oversized, fully illustrated book, perfect for kid's attention spans. 32 pages, softcover.

Leaf Jumpers By Carole Gerber / Charlesbridge Publishing Graceful, poetic text celebrates the beauty of autumn leaves, while the simple text at the end explains why leaves change color. Readers learn how to identify all sorts of leaves from red maple to sycamore by their color, shape, and other characteristics. A great choice for science units and autumn displays.

For the Love of Autumn By Patricia Polacco / Philomel Miss Parks just loves her new home, her new teaching job, and all her new students. But most of all, she loves Autumn, her perfect little kitten. Then one night, during a terrible storm, Autumn runs away. Miss Parks' students band together to search for Autumn--with no luck. Hope is lost until weeks later when Autumn turns up at Miss Parks' front door with a brand-new collar and a bandage on her tail. Someone has been taking care of Autumn! With the help of her students, Miss Parks unravels the mystery of Autumn's disappearance and finds true love along the way. This is a book about love--and about how one little kitten brings two people together in an unforgettable way. Recommended for ages 6 to 9

An Autumn Leaf By Noel Fedrau / Pleasant Word Why do the stars shine? Where does the wind live? Who's in charge when things go wrong? Does someone answer my prayers? A young boy experiences the sights and sounds of God's creation, beginning with a simple autumn leaf, and searches for answers to his questions about life. Throughout the seasons of a year of his childhood, the boy begins to understand that God is with him. Noel Fedrau lives with her husband Merve in Vernon, British Columbia, Canada. Together they have five grown children. An Autumn Leaf is her second children's book. Barbara Houston holds a BA in fine arts, and has illustrated numerous magazine and book covers. She paints, sculpts, lives and laughs with her two daughters, Jessica and Alexandra, in Kelowna, British Columbia.

Fall Is Here! I Love It! By Elaine Good / Good Books "From the Publisher:" Elaine W. Good's lyrical prose and Susie Shenk Wenger's captivating watercolors come together to portray the life of a rural child in this delightful seasonal series. "The garden needs to be put to sleep," Mommy tells her little boy in Fall Is Here! I Love It! Through the eyes of a child who lives in the country, children encounter autumn in all its splendor. "When Mommy and I take a hike to pick the last tea in the meadow, our sweaters are too warm, so we take them off. Along the fence pokeberries are growing. We squash some, watching their dark purple juice stain our fingers." For ages 3-6. 9 1/4 x 10 1/2. 32 pages, paperback.

Clifford: 1st Autumn By Scholastic Trade A story about Clifford before he became a Big Red Dog, and was still a Small Red Puppy. Here Clifford experiences the seasonal changes as summer turns into fall. Color illustrations accompany the text.

October Monthly Idea Book By Scholastic Teaching Each creative idea book is filled with on-target reproducible monthly activities that are ready-to-go and make learning fun! These books integrate with any curriculum and are loaded with cute patterns, ideas, motivation awards, bookmarks, open-ended games, crafts, bulletin board suggestions and celebrations for every special day of the month! Grades PreK-6.

More Fall Books >>