this red leaves, yellow leaves Sorting activities are a great hands-on way for young children to practice this early math skill. it fits very well fall!
This easy fall math activity can be done with just red and yellow leaves, or you can add other colors like orange, brown, and green. It is self-correcting, so it would be an excellent choice for math centers.
Red leaves and yellow leaves classification activity
Required supplies
- red leaves, yellow leaves by Lois Ellert
- Autumn leaves (real or artificial)
- brown construction paper
- white construction paper
- Dot stickers that match the color of the leaves you are using (or use construction paper circles instead)
Set up activities
Draw a tree without leaves on brown cardboard and cut it out.
Glue the tree to a piece of white construction paper.
Attach a dot sticker or construction paper circle to the trunk.
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Collect the leaves that match each sorting tree you made and pile them all together.
If you want to use this in a math center, I recommend laminating the tree or putting it in a dry erase sleeve for durability.
Red leaves and yellow leaves classification activity
Place the tree on a table or floor and place a pile of leaves nearby. Invite students to pick up leaves and sort them into the appropriate tree for each color.
This is a great way to practice color recognition and grouping. Afterwards, students can count the leaves on each tree or compare the number of leaves on each tree.
Here are some additional questions to ask:
- Which tree has the most leaves?
- Which tree has the fewest leaves?
- Does any tree have the same number of leaves? Let’s count them and see.
- ____ How many leaves are there on the tree?
- Which color is your favorite?
Students can even vote for their favorite fall color, and you can chart the class results. Alternatively, you could count the leaves on each tree and plot the results against the class.
This leaf sorting activity is sure to be a hit this fall!
Introduction: Danielle is a former elementary school teacher and mom of two who now shares fun learning activities at Mom Inspired Life. Check out her alphabet activities for preschoolers and make sure you sign up for her newsletter to get activities delivered right to your inbox! You can also follow her on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram.
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