Things You'll Need:
- "Deep in the Forest" by Brinton Turkle Brown paper bag Leaves Pine needles Berries Small rocks Small pine cones Pre-cut tree shapes Glue Map Globe Assorted nuts Acorns Berries
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Step 1
Begin the lesson by reading the book "Deep in the Forest" by Brinton Turkle. After reading the story, describe the characteristics of a deciduous forest by telling the children that the forest is a shady place where giant maple and oak trees tower over 100 feet in the air. The word deciduous means "falling off," and most of the trees and shrubs in the forest lose their leaves during the autumn months and grow new leaves in the spring.
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Step 2
Make a deciduous forest collage. Provide each child with a brown paper bag and take the class on a nature walk through the woods. Ask the students to fill the bags with leaves, pine needles, berries, small rocks and pine cones. Once you are back in the classroom provide each child with a precut tree shape and glue. Ask them to glue the items they collected on the tree to create a collage.
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Step 3
Use a map or globe to show the students that deciduous forests can be found in most of the eastern United States. However, deciduous forests can also be found as far away as Asia and Europe. Inform the students that, although the climate of the forest can be mild, it always has four distinct seasons: a cold and often snowy winter; a cool, windy autumn; a hot, dry summerl and a rainy spring.
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Step 4
Talk about the animals that live the deciduous forests. Tell the students that the forest is full of squirrels, chipmunks, mice and numerous other small rodents. Deer, foxes, black bears, raccoons, rabbits and bobcats also make their home in the forest.
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Step 5
Share an assortment of nuts, berries and acorns with the class. Explain to the children that these are the foods that many of the animals in the forest eat every day. This is a good time to discuss with the students how squirrels will hide their food in more than one location in the forest, so they will not run out of food during the cold winter months.
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Step 6
Talk about other creatures that can be found in the forest, such as snakes, salamanders and frogs. Insects like worms, pill bugs and centipedes play an important role in the forests by eating animal droppings and dead plant matter and turning it into soil, which helps keep the plants and trees in the deciduous forest strong and healthy.
