a changing tree

Studying the seasons in Northern California is always a little tricky since each season is not that extremely different from the other.

I talk and bring the children's awareness to the seasons all year and on our morning walks we always make a point to observe and enjoy the gifts of Nature around us.

To emphasize the changing seasons we have a big tree out of paper on one door and as the season changes we change our tree.

The sun moves from being lower and closer to the trunk to higher up in the branches to symbolize the movement of the earth in relation to the sun, or as one student of mine put it, that we have more light in Spring.

After returning from spring break we went on a long walk through our neighborhood and here is what the children noticed:

- green leaves on the trees

- flowers

- dark and light green leaves

- red flowers

- blossoms

- colors: pink, yellow and purple

- small leaves

- green grass

Back in the classroom every student then drew and cut out to show their observations on the tree in our classroom.

Now the tree looks alive and happy.