A lot has happened since my last post! Let's skip all the detail & get to the good stuff. One of my favourite aspects of spring is noticing delicate new leaves appear on trees. Leaves come in a fascinating variety of forms & being in lockdown I've taken the opportunity to try a mini project I've long had in mind.
Its very simple. i make a concertina sketchbook. I plan a little walk. I commit to recording the leaf shape of every plant I meet on my walk. I open the door & no sooner than I have stepped out than I have leaf shapes to record - even where my door opens onto a road - there are 'weed' leaf shapes! Here's a little snippet of one sketchbook.
This idea was popular on my social media so I decided to create some resources to help you try this at home, with children! In my experience, children need a little help to engage in an activity like this, but once their curiosity is aroused they enjoy looking closely & making discovery after discovery. 'a Little Book of Leaf Shapes' is a new print at home resource to help children learn about nature. It is a small, illustrated book to take with you on trips outside & offers multiple ways of looking at leaves - starting by using children's own body. This resource is available to download for £3 or for free, dependent on your circumstances. It is complimented by a step by step activity guide to help you create your own concertina sketchbooks - full of the discoveries you make, when you step out of your door!