I’ve always loved using an apple theme when teaching and apples still make a fun theme for learning in early grades.

But instead of just seeing apples everywhere, it’s good for students to learn exactly how apples grow.

It’s not only a good science concept – it’s part of our everyday life!

So I thought it would be fun to combine an apple theme for fall along with a sequencing concept for science.

And that’s just what this apple life cycle sequencing activity does!

This is such a fun science center activity for autumn! Plus, it helps students work on retelling events in the proper sequence too!

Read on to see how to get your copy of this life cycle science activity. Plus, see how you can use this science lesson digitally too!

And for more fun teaching with an apple theme, take a look at our Apple Alike! Same or Different Worksheets or our Apple Counting to Ten Puzzles!

Apple Life Cycle Sequencing Activity

To use the printable apple life cycle sequencing activity, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer Paper
• Scissors
• Laminator (optional)
• Hook and loop sticky dots (optional)

This product includes two apple life cycle mats: one with pictures and one with blank circles.

In addition, there are six picture cards for completing the blank mat.

As part of the science lesson, review the completed apple life cycle mat with your students.

Talk about how apple cores contain the seeds for a new apple tree and the steps that the plant goes through before we get to pick the new apples.

Then cut out the picture cards and let them try to retell the correct sequence by placing the picture cards on the blank mat in the right order!

You can use this resource as a cut and paste activity with scissors and glue. Or you can laminate it and add hook and loop dots to make it reusable.

There’s also a line art version of the mat and picture cards included!

Digital Apple Life Cycle Sequencing Lesson

Many, many educators (including yours truly) are making the switch to digital learning.

The good news is that you can use this apple life cycle lesson online too!

To use the digital version, students will need the following:

• A laptop computer (we like Google Chromebooks) or a tablet such as the iPad
• A copy of our Digital Apple Life Cycle Activity (link follows below)

This is a super easy and interactive science lesson for early grades. 

Since the product comes with an answer key, you can grade it in no time flat. (Always a plus!)

Need to see the digital apple lesson in action? Check out the video below!

Scroll down to get your copy of our printable or digital Apple Life Cycle Sequencing Activity!

Looking for more apple learning resources?

Looking for the digital and print version? Visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

>>> Digital + Print Apple Life Cycle Activity <<<

The post Apple Life Cycle Sequencing Activity appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

But it’s true! Fall is my favoritest time of the year. Well, second favoritest after summer. (Also – is favoritest a word? It should be.)

We’ve made lots of leaf-themed activities before, including leaf flashcards, leaf garlands, and leaf snow globes.

But you can never have too many leaf ideas! These leaf activities for kids are a beautiful way to start discovering the season with the family!

 25 Leaf Activities for Kids

1. Have some art fun with this Leaf Painting for Kids activity!

2. Learn about the special features that make leaves turn colors with this Leaf Chromatography experiment!

3. Try this How Do Leaves Breathe Experiment to find out how leaves get carbon dioxide!

4. These lovely Negative Leaf Impressions are a simple way to add art into your fall unit!

5. Gather the prettiest leaves in the neighborhood and make this Preserved Leaf Mobile!

6. Hand your smallest one some of these Fall Leaf Stickers and let them decorate a gift box!

7. Download this All About Leaves Printable Pack to talk about science and language arts with leaves!

8. This Autumn Leaf Threading activity is perfect for preschoolers!

9. There aren’t a lot of nature crafts that take my breath away, but this Stick and Leaf Butterfly Craft is downright gorgeous!

10. Let the kids set up an Autumn Leaf Investigation Table to encourage open-ended exploration!

11. Use those old toilet rolls to make this beautiful Toilet Paper Roll Leaf Stamping Tree!

12. Help tots learn their colors with this Fall Leaf Color Matching Activity! 

13. Get a Maple Leaf Paper Punch and let the kids cut out leaf shapes!

The post 25 Leaf Activities for Kids appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

Unfortunately, it’s late summer in Georgia, which means we’re not going to have autumn-colored leaves for some time. But we got out some paint, including fall-themed colors, and started up anyway!

Take a look at our easy nature art project: leaf painting for kids!

Want some more fall activities for kids? Try our fall snow globe craft or use our leaf identification flashcards to go on a leaf hunt! And don’t miss our All About Leaves printable pack for more leaf learning!

Easy Nature Art: Leaf Painting for Kids

To do this activity, you will need the following: (Affiliate links provided here for convenience. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• drawing paper
• acrylic paint
• an assortment of leaves (try to get ones that are large enough for your kids’ hands)

Just a quick note: This was the kids’ first time working with acrylic paint, so they were kind of surprised by how it moves on the paper. If your kids like tons of paint, definitely try tempera paint instead.

I asked everyone what colors they wanted to work with and we got started!

We put down two pieces of drawing paper – one as the “canvas” and another as the splat mat, plus paint palette. I just squeezed a bit of each color on the side.

This whole activity took maybe 15 minutes, but it was such a neat way to try art while using nature!

After we painted for a while, we started experimenting with printing.

And that was even easier, since all you have to do is spread enough paint on the bottom of your leaves and then press them down.

Lift them up slowly and you get a lovely leaf print!

Have even more leaf fun this fall with these posts!

Follow my Fall Activities for Kids board on Pinterest for even more fall ideas!

And get more fun learning ideas and crafts for kids when you sign up for our email newsletter! Subscribe using the widget below.

This post is part of Paint-A-Thon 2016 – a collection of more than 200 painting ideas for kids! Stop by to get tons of art inspiration for your kids!

The post Easy Nature Art: Leaf Painting for Kids appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

Learning about farms is one of the most common preschool themes for young children. Which is why I wanted to share a simple farm unit study that you can share with your early learners too!

Farms are great learning themes for spring or fall, since fall is for harvesting and spring is when most baby farm animals are born. The farm activities for kids, farms for kids videos, and farm printables below are awesome for helping kids learn about this important part of our society.

If you love this farm unit study, don’t miss our animal homes unit study or our hibernation unit study! Both of these are also great for putting together your autumn learning plans!

Homeschool Unit Studies: Farm Unit Study

Printable Farm Notebooking Pages

Get your farm unit study started with these printable farm notebooking pages! These are good for writing down facts the kids learn from the videos below!

You can pick these farm notebooking pages up for free when you sign up for our Subscriber Library!

Farms for Kids Videos

Watch the following video about farms and then let the kids try to answer the questions below.

1. Where does food come from? (Answer: Most of it is grown on farms.)

2. Do fruits and vegetables just grow by themselves? (Answer: No. Farmers plant them and help them grow.)

3. How does food to get to markets? (Answer: After fruits and vegetables grow, they are taken to markets where people can buy them.)

4. What kinds of foods are grown on farms? (Answer: Tomatoes, pole beans, sunflower seeds, mustard greens, broccoli, carrots, corn, and peppers)

Watch the following video to learn about common farm animals.

After watching, see if your kids can name some animals that usually live on farms.

Farm Crafts and Activities for Kids

Try some of these fun farm activities for kids and affiliate farm products to help kids learn!

1. Printable Farm Animal Flashcards – Look! We’re Learning!

15. Melissa & Doug Puffy Sticker Play Set – On the Farm

Want to see more ways to make learning about farms fun during your farm unit study?

Discover more fall learning ideas on my Fall Activities for Kids Pinterest board!

The post Homeschool Unit Studies: Farm Unit Study appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.