European Basswood: Sapling

Leaf print and poem

Did you know the small yellowish flowers are a favorite source of nectar for honeybees?

Materials:

* Construction Paper
* White paper
* Leafs
* Paint
* Foam tray
* Sponge
* Glue
* Tell Me, Tree by Gail Gibbons
* The Tree by Judy Hindly

Procedure:

Read Tell Me, Tree, and look at some of the poems in The Tree.

Go out to the Basswood tree and collect some leaves.

Put your nose to the tree and feel the bark.

Take a few steps back and look at the tree. Pick out characteristics of the tree. Things to notice would be; the smell, color, and characteristics of the tree, branches, leaves, and all that you see.

Walk back a few more steps and look at the characteristics of the tree from that distance.

Then write your thoughts down as soon as you can.

Put paint in foam trays.

Using the sponge apply paint to the backside of the leaf that has the veins raised.

On the top of a white piece of paper, press the leaf on. Put a piece of paper over the leaf and press down. You may make more than one print.

Carefully remove paper and leaf.

Under the print, write a poem about the basswood using descriptive words that you wrote down when observing your tree. The Tree book may give you some ideas.

Glue the white paper on the center of construction paper for a beautiful border.

Remember to sign it.

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