Student looking at a leaf with a magnifying glass.

Beautiful fall foliage adorns our school campuses and many classes are using this natural resource as a learning tool. At Haw Creek Elementary, Kindergarteners grabbed their magnifying glasses and took off on a leaf exploration expedition. 

“We had guest visitors from Project Explore who led the students on a leaf investigation,” said Kindergarten teacher Jennifer Griffin. “Project Explore allows us an opportunity for outdoor learning, which is something we are always eager to do.”

Students studied different leaves closely and made observations using their five senses. This school year the students will spend ample amounts of time outside said Ms. Griffin. 

“We are observing a tree on our campus as we work to fill our Nature’s notebook with our knowledge of the world around us,” she said. “The fun part is all of our observations will be submitted to the US National Phenology Network.” 

Project Explore is an outdoor classroom that helps engage young scientists in the world around them.