Where does the Leaf Man go when he blows? Do you know?
So begins the beautifully written and illustrated book by Lois Ehlert, Leaf Man. Leaf Man is not a complex tale, but it’s vivid images of colorful fall leaves make it impossible not to enjoy. The details leap towards the reader with each turn of the page – take special notice of the ever-changing rolling landscape. Leaf Man visits different farm animals and the gardens of fall, which are ripe with pumpkins, winter squash, and cabbage to name a few.
Curriculum Connections
Leaf Man is a perfect way to introduce leaf classifying into a kindergarten classroom (SOL K.8b). Inside the cover, Ehlert has provided names for the dozens of different types of leaves he used throughout the book. The teacher could begin the lesson will a read aloud of Leaf Man, and follow up by providing each student a copy of a page from the book. The student could then work in groups to count or sort the different types of leaves present on their pages. Advanced students could label their leaves, and those students who still have some trouble reading can work with the teacher on classifying verbally, which will help ensure these students don’t fall behind on leaf identification and classifying.
Additional Resources
- This lesson plan found on Scholastic’s website, provides the idea for a leaf finding expedition for the students.
- Make your own Leaf Man! Explore the plethora of Fall related links on this page as well.
- Check out Harcourt’s website for Ehlert’s Leaf Man. It includes a large array of resources including:
- An interview with Lois Ehlert
- A teacher guide with tips on preparing to read, what to do while reading Leaf Man, and how to follow up.
- Printable activity sheets and printable stickers sheets!
Book: Leaf Man
Author: Lois Ehlert
Illustrator: Lois Ehlert
Publisher: Harcourt
Publication Date: September 2005
Pages: 40
Grade Range: K-2
ISBN: 978-0152053048