16th April Autumn

It is quite some time since I did an Autumn display at school, but I do enjoy sharing Autumn books with my preschool classes. Outside the library there is a row of deciduous trees on the school footpath and we like watching how long before the trees are bare and how the leaves change colour. This fascination started over ten years ago when the then head of the school shared a book that she loved in assembly. It was Alfie's Long Winter. After the reading we collected leaves from the footpath, stuck small google eyes on them and each student had their own Alfie to care for.

This book which was published in 1995 is now old and looking somewhat lacklustre. I looked into buying a secondhand copy, but was shocked when the cheapest one I could find was over $70. What? The story is fun, but the illustrations show a very American looking farm and they are not what today's children are used to colour-wise.

• Alfie's Long Winter by Greg McEvoy

A breeze blew. Alfie closed his eyes, and - held on tight. "AL-FIE, AL-FIE, AL-FIE..." All the leaves on the ground shouted together. But Alfie could not jump. And so, Alfie's long winter began.

Searching for replacement books with a similar theme, I found

• The Little Yellow Leaf  ( 2008) by Carin Berger

It’s autumn. Brightly coloured leaves are falling everywhere. Finally, as the days get shorter and the nights get colder, a little yellow leaf discovers that it is the very last leaf on the tree. The little yellow leaf does not want to let go … not quite yet. Even when the first frost arrives, this little yellow leaf holds on, determined.

• The Leaf that Wouldn't Leave (2009)  by Trish Trinco and Bryan Langdo

Luigi, an autumn leaf reluctant to leave his branch, teaches us to be brave when facing new experiences and shows us that an amazing world waits beyond the backyard!

•  Leif and the Fall (2020) by Allison Sweet Grant, Adam Grant  and Merrilee Liddiard

Leif is a leaf. A worried leaf. It is autumn, and Leif is afraid to fall. “All leaves fall in the fall,” say the other leaves. But Leif is determined to find a different way down, and with his friend Laurel, he uses the resources around him to create a net, a kite, a parachute in hopes of softening his landing. The clock is ticking, the wind is blowing. What will happen when a gust of wind pulls Leif from his branch?

• The Very Last Leaf (2020) by Stef Wade and Jennifer Davison

Lance Cottonwood is the best and brightest of the leaves, but even the top students on the tree have worries. Can Lance conquer his fear of falling and just let go when the time comes for his final exam, or will he let his worries take over?

• A Very Big Fall (2022) by Emmy Kastner

The weather is pleasant, the view is fine, and everything just feels fresh. But when autumn breezes begin to blow, adventurous Birch, nervous Oak, and grumpy Maple each have their own way of facing the new crispness in the air. The squirrels take pleasure in warning the leaves about the transformations to come: new colours! And more ... an actual fall. But will the ground be the end or a new beginning.

• When Leaf Let Go (2024) by Angie Marie Carlson and Csongor Veres

When an unexpected storm rolls in and changes everything, Leaf must make a choice - cling to what she knows or trust the Wind and let go. With gentle encouragement from nature and a whisper of bravery, Leaf learns that letting go can be a beautiful part of life’s natural rhythm.

I have written about Autumn before here and here. These entries have more to say and suggest other book titles.

9th - 17th August Science Week

National Science Week Schools Theme for 2025 is ‘Decoding the Universe – Exploring the unknown with nature’s hidden language.’ This theme invites students and teachers across Australia to delve into the mysteries of the Universe by exploring the fundamental languages of nature, including mathematics and the groundbreaking field of quantum science.

Aligned with the 2025 United Nations International Year of Quantum Science and Technology and the 2025 International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) being hosted in Australia, this theme serves as a bridge between basic science education and the exploration of specialised topics. “Decoding the Universe” will empower educators to inspire and engage students by exploring the mathematics and quantum science that underpin both the natural world and the modern technologies we use every day, from photosynthesis to satellite navigation.

Each year there is a teacher resource book published by the Australian Science Teachers Association. This resource book is designed for educators from Foundation to Year 10 to engage with National Science Week through inquiry-based classroom activities. It also contains many opportunities to incorporate cross-curriculum priorities, including Sustainability and First Nations connections.

The lessons for Foundation to Year 2 focus on hands on activities: Nature Art Observations using leaves, fruit vegetables and Decoding Animal Prints. 

The Nature Art Observations asks students to look closely at leaves, draw them, make art with them and then goes further with printing using leaves, sticks, fruit and vegetables so that students can identify shapes, patterns and symmetry.

The library has such a great collection of books that focus on leaves, nature art and stamping.

Here's a few:

And some books about animal prints: