Type: Individual/small group/whole class exercise

Title: Signs of Autumn

Learning Objectives: The student will:

• Use their senses to make observations related to a particular topic
• Collaborate with peers to identify evidence of seasonal change
• Record and organize information

Description:

In this activity, students will use observation skills outdoors, and draw or gather an item representing a sign of autumn. They will also draw examples of signs of other seasons that may be found at different times of the year, and share their ideas.

Materials:

• Copies of Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn and Sunshine Makes the Seasons
• Paper and pencil for each student
• Crayons
• Tape
• Outdoor space that can provide signs of autumn, preferably featuring items for students to pick up, such as leaves. This can be as simple as a yard with a few trees outside the library or school .
• Whiteboard with a variety of colored markers

Preparation:

• Librarian/educator will read Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn and Sunshine Makes the Seasons aloud to students
• Librarian/educator will identify outdoor space for activity

Direct Instruction

1. Librarian/educator will conduct circle time with students. Autumn is a magical time of year! In Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn we explored changes happening in the girl's community, and in Sunshine Makes the Seasons, we learned why these seasonal changes occur. Today we will be exploring outside to find our very own signs of autumn!
2. Students will fold their paper into quarters (halfway hamburger style, then halfway hotdog style) to make four equal sections. If possible, they will label each of the four sections, "autumn," "winter," "spring," and "summer." Librarian/educator will model this on the whiteboard.

Guided Practice

1. The librarian/educator will ask students to share some signs of autumn from Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn. Students will suggest things like changing leaves, cooler temperatures, and squirrels busy burying nuts. One of these will be drawn on the whiteboard in the corresponding section, and students will copy this down on their sheets.

Independent Practice

1. The group will now head outside to look for signs of their own. We will be using our observation skills, just like scientists do. This means looking and listening for signs of autumn. Some signs may be collected from the ground (such as fallen leaves), but many will simply be drawn.
2. Students will be given time to collect or draw a sign of autumn. Items such as leaves may be taped onto their sheets. Drawings can be colored as well.
3. Next, students will be placed into small groups of 3-4 each, and each group will discuss signs of other seasons. The librarian/educator can get everyone started on this with brainstorming. Examples may be snow on the ground, hot days, flowers blooming, and the like.
4. Each student will choose one idea for each season from their group's meeting, and draw/color it on their sheet in the appropriate space.

Sharing/Reflection/Closing

1. When all students are done drawing and coloring, the librarian/educator will regroup the class for sharing.
2. Back at the whiteboard, the librarian/educator will proceed through each season, and ask students to share what they drew. The librarian/educator may recreate these drawings, or invite students to come up and do so.
3. When all the spaces/seasons have been completed, the librarian/educator will circle the group up again and facilitate a follow up discussion. Questions may include:
• How did you discover signs of autumn outside? What senses did you use?
• How can using our senses help us live and learn?
• What's your favorite season? Why?

Notes about this strategy:

This activity is a great way to have students use their senses, record and organize observations. Not only does it get the group involved in an outdoor learning activity, students will work independently, with small groups, and with the whole class.