Coniferous trees and deciduous trees

Our nation is rich in fairy tales. A suitable fairy-tale can be found almost to any theme. 

When introducing our 3-4 year old children about changes of trees in autumn we used the Latvian folk-tale “When the leaves fall off the tree” (“Kad kokiem nobirst lapas”).

In short, the tale tells about a peasant who tricks devil and promises to give back devil’s money when the leaves fall off the trees. Yet, when the time has come for the peasant to give back the money, the peasant responds that the fir trees and pine trees are still green. So devil never gets his money back.

After listening to the fairy-tale children went to the forest and tried to find deciduous trees and coniferous trees. Children observed them and compared them.

In handicraft lesson children created one work from maple leaves and in the other – pine needles.

Children painted the maple leaves and pressed them against coloured cardboard. Afterwards they glued dried leaves to the cardboard.

In another activity they made a coat for hedgehog from pine needles.