Why Do Leaves Change Colors?
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What's Inside
I love fall and the color of the trees. Let's discover why leaves change colors. Science is worth exploring.
Children practice seasonal science, leaf vocabulary, and basic life science ideas in this book. It introduces photosynthesis and the pigments named in the text, including chlorophyll, carotenoid, and anthocyanin.
This book fits children learning about fall, plant changes, and early STEM ideas. It gives a simple way to talk about why tree leaves look different in autumn.
Teaching & Discussion Guide
Use this guide to turn Why Do Leaves Change Colors? into a mini reading lesson at home or in the classroom.
Concepts & skills practiced
- Season vocabulary
- Leaf science
- Photosynthesis basics
- Plant pigments
- Life science concepts
- Reading science words
Discussion Questions
- 1 The title asks why leaves change colors. What do you already know about what happens to leaves in fall?
- 2 The opening lines say, "I love fall and the color of the trees." What changes do you notice in trees during fall where you live?
- 3 The concepts list includes photosynthesis. What do you think a leaf might do with sunlight to help a plant grow?
- 4 The words chlorophyll, carotenoid, and anthocyanin are all listed. Why do you think a science book about leaf color would name more than one pigment?
- 5 How might learning why leaves change color help you pay closer attention to seasons and plants outside?
- 6 After reading, what new question do you still have about leaves, seasons, or plant science?
Words to Learn
- fall
- The season after summer when leaves often change color.
- season
- A time of year with its own weather and changes in nature.
- leaf
- A flat part of a plant that helps it make food.
- photosynthesis
- The way a plant uses sunlight to make food.
- chlorophyll
- The green part in leaves that helps them make food.
- carotenoid
- A pigment in leaves that can show yellow or orange color.
- anthocyanin
- A pigment in leaves that can show red or purple color.
- life science
- The study of living things like plants and animals.
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