Fall is in the air, and children of all ages are eager to be outside in nature. In order to incorporate learning and outside time, my Happy Hawks Homeschool crew and I came up with a few easy fall leaves homeschool activities to share with you all. You don’t have to be a homeschool educator to participate in these fun fall leaves activities. Anyone can enjoy this art/mini engineering project.
In today’s blog post, I will share with you how I taught a history lesson about the resourcefulness of the Plains Indians- and how I incorporated an engaging engineering lesson into this as well. So, if you are in need of an interactive (resourceful) fall activity to do with your homeschooled little ones- then please follow along.
Let’s meet for story time outside, shall we?
The Instruction: The Resourcefulness of the Plains Indians
*Before we begin, it is worth noting that my children are all young (ages 2-9 years old). Therefore, my lessons and content reflect this.
I love to start a lesson by gathering my children around me (often in a circle on the floor, on the grass, or around the dining table). The five-year-old little girl teacher (who I once pretended to be) firmly claps her hands while saying, “Sit down, be quiet!” Once I have their attention, I like to teach the lesson through storytelling.
When teaching history, I have generally chosen to read the history lesson aloud to my children. We then discuss what we read and try to picture ourselves living in the time we read about. Storytelling is a wonderful teaching method for any age.
After the story lesson, I tie in a fun and interactive craft to help seal the information into their minds to later build upon.
For this particular lesson, the topic was the early history of the Great American Plains. We discussed the importance of the American Indians- and in particular- the resourcefulness of the Plains Indians.
How a Homeschool History Lesson Taught Us About the Resourcefulness of a Tipi (Teepee):
To teach this particular lesson I used a children’s history book (that I got on one of my thrifting adventures). Our thrifted book has beautiful illustrations and helpful information. Perfect for reading aloud.
We learned about some of the many different homes of the American Indians- such as wigwams, pueblos, longhouses, and tipis. However, our focus was on the nomadic Plains Indians and how they used resourcefulness to build their homes- the tipi. Tipis were made of buffalo hides stretched over tall wooden poles. These strong structures were symbolic, and they provided a unique shelter that was portable for the Plains Indians.
What stood out to us the most was the resourcefullness of the Plains Indians. We found it especially fascinating to learn how they used as much of the Buffalo as they could. Not just the meat to eat- but the buffalo hides, the bones, and even the sinews (tendon of the buffalo). We discussed how the engineering of the traditional tipi provided a strong structure that was warm in cold months, cool in hot month, and even allowed for air ventilation. The tipi also offered protection and privacy for the Plains Indians.
As we continued to discuss these resourceful people…my mind began to awaken. How can we be resourceful with natural fall items?
“Hmm”, I muttered to myself. “We have a yard full of leaves. “A-ha!” “This will be my material.” “Perfect!” I stated- “And now for the structure?” Almost immediately the idea of the straight sticks sprang to mind.
Now I knew what fun, resourceful art/engineering activity we could create to tie the book knowledge in!
A Nature Walk to Gather the Supplies for our Fall Leaves Homeschool Activity:
Anytime we can walk and learn- or be active and learn- we do.
A walk in nature (just in our neighborhood) offers plenty of opportunities to grow, explore, and learn. We didn’t have to walk far to gather all the supplies we needed. Afterall, what better way to appreciate the unique culture of the American Indians than by being out in nature?
Resourcefulness, Engineering, and Art: An Outdoor Lesson
Having gathered items found in nature, we circled around on the grass to learn a little resourceful engineering.
The children were instructed to use the straight sticks to balance on one another in order to create a structure that could stand upright. We found that propping three sticks against each other was the most logical. This created a triangular tripod support.
The children had fun balancing the sticks to make them stand- all while trying to use gentle hands to get the balance right.
Wanting to make things lovely, we decided to use the resources we had found in nature to be creative and artistic. The beautiful fall leaves made perfect additions to our tripod structure.
Necessary Supplies for Engineering a Fall Tripod Structure:
The supplies list is short and the actual supplies are freely given to us in nature. See my simple list below and feel free to add your own ideas.
- Dried fall leaves
- Straight sticks that are similar lengths
- Thin twine (not found on our nature walk, but you could substitute this for long pieces of grass)
- Rocks and other nature items such as the bark from a Crape Myrtle tree, moss, etc.
How to Build the Fall Leaf Tripod Structure:
- First, you must gather your supplies (see list above). Once you have your stack of fall leaves and your sticks, you are ready to begin assembling.
-
Second, “thread” colorful leaves through the top of the sticks to give artistic flare to the tripod structure.
-
Thirdly, you must carefully balance the leaf-decorated sticks against each other. (Allow children to experiment with a different number of sticks to find the strongest balance. Discuss whether the weight of the leaves has any impact on the tripod structure.)
-
Fourthly, use thin twine (or long grass) to tie your sticks together at the top.
-
Fifthly, decorate the base of your leaf tripod by adding rocks to the bottom. Basically, making a circle of rocks.
-
Lastly, step back and admire your hard work. Discuss other places a tripod structure can be noted.
Hands-On Learning with Fall Leaves (In Photo Format):
Constructing the Leaf Tripod Structure:
*Note: This fall leaf tripod homeschool activity is meant to respectfully appreciate the value, diversity, and resourcefulness of the Plains Indians- and to appreciate the beauty of art and natural resources- and not to be a replica of a real-life tipi. Instead, it aims to teach the above ideas paired with a lesson in engineering and an understanding of tripod structures.
Other Easy Fall Leaves Homeschool Activities and Ideas:
For other fall leaves homeschool activities consider these fun options:
- A nature scavenger hunt
- Using Mod Podge and fall leaves to create art. The leaves can be pasted onto posterboards… and gold leaf flakes can be added in for a touch of glam.
- Make a fall garland using leaves and twine.
- Leaf rubbings, identifications, and tracings.
- Even just having children help you rake the leaves into a pile and enjoy jumping into them. Simple but good.
The moral of this tale: get out into nature with your children- or by yourself- for I am convinced it is a soothing medicine which quiets the mind.
Frequently Asked Questions on Outdoor Learning and Fall Leaves Homeschool Activities:
1. How often do you have class outdoors?
In the fall and the spring seasons, we have school outside almost every day. If we can learn outside, we do. This allows young children to play nearby- while the older children can have instructional time.
2. How do I create an outdoor classroom in my own backyard?
All you need to create an outdoor classroom is a place to rest your bottom and your school supplies. A picnic blanket (or quilt) spread out under the shade of a tree- is the perfect homeschool spot.
3. What are the benefits of seasonal outdoor learning?
The benefits of outdoor learning is well documented.
In my personal opinion, I believe outdoor learning helps with clear thinking and the ability to listen and see that the world is bigger than just ourselves. It also encourages creativity and exploration- while encouraging physical activity for the body. Fresh air and sunshine are good for the body as well.
Not to mention, during specific seasons there are many resources that are freely given to us by God that can be beneficial to a school lesson (i.e. fall leaves, acorns, spring flowers, etc.).
Truly, the benefits are almost too many to list.
4. Is outdoor learning part of Charlotte Mason's educational/teaching philiosophy?
Yes, Charlotte Mason encouraged outdoor learning. Thus, allowing children to learn through natural experiences and deeper understandings of the world around them. To see more examples of homeschool activities that are inspired by Charlotte Mason’s philosophies, see my post on making an aquarium here.
Final Thoughts Until Next Time:
Well, this brings us to the end of my fall leaves homeschool activities post. Using things that are found in nature is a wonderful way to add value, resourcefulness, and interest to any homeschool lesson. Teaching children about being resourceful and looking at how this is seen in history is important. Equally, adding engineering principles into a lesson- helps students visualize how things are made.
Fresh air, sunshine, natural resources, and an active imagination are all you need to create an amazing homeschool activity or experience.
To see other homeschool inspired lessons that I enjoy doing with my young children… see my homeschool guide page here. This detailed page organizes all my homeschool resources into one easy post.
I hope you found inspiration and encouragement in this post. If you did, please feel free to share my post with those who may also enjoy. Don’t leave without subscribing to my blog- so that you do not miss a future post. And, for more weekly inspirations and ideas- see my Cotswold Kitchen Mom Facebook and Pinterest pages.
I will conclude by wishing you all a lovely week and I hope you check in again soon.
Until then…
~Elizabeth~
