Trees & Leaves Nature Journal Pages — Printable Writing Prompts for Kids

Trees & Leaves Nature Journal Pages — Printable Writing Prompts for Kids

Perfect for science, writing, outdoor learning, nature walks, and SEL!

Bring the outdoors into your literacy and science block with this engaging set of 10 black-and-white nature journal prompts inspired by real observation, creativity, and hands-on discovery. Students practice descriptive writing, scientific thinking, and emotional reflection as they explore trees, leaves, bark texture, weather, colors, patterns, and mini-ecosystems.

Each page includes a kid-friendly prompt, space for drawing, and wide handwriting lines, making it ideal for K–5 classrooms, homeschool, forest schools, and after-school nature clubs.

Prompt Styles:

• Leaf Detective – Observe, draw, and describe a leaf using a 3-word descriptor.
• Meet a Tree – “Interview” a nearby tree and describe today’s weather.
• Texture Hunt – Touch bark and sketch textures (smooth, bumpy, flaky).
• Tiny World Under a Tree – Describe small organisms beneath the tree.
• Leaf Life Cycle – Creative writing from a leaf’s point of view.
• Tree Superpowers – Imaginative writing about a tree’s special abilities.
• Color Collecting – Find leaves in different shades and name the colors.
• Weather Watcher – Observe how the weather affects branches and leaves.
• Leaf Math – Count leaf veins, discuss symmetry and patterns.
• Tree of Feelings – SEL reflection comparing personal growth to seasonal change.

Great For:

• Nature journaling
• Science centers
• Outdoor learning
• SEL reflection
• Sub plans
• Early finishers
• Literacy stations
• Forest school & homeschool

CCSS ELA Alignment

These pages naturally support grade-band CCSS through observation, descriptive writing, opinion writing, and explanatory text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy:

• W.K–3.2 — Write informative/explanatory texts using facts and details
• W.K–3.3 — Write narratives to describe events, real or imagined
• W.K–3.8 — Recall information from experiences
• SL.K–3.4 — Describe observations with appropriate facts and details
• L.K–3.1 & L.K–3.2 — Conventions of standard English in writing
• RI.1.1 / RI.2.1 / RI.3.1 — Ask/answer questions about details

NGSS:

• K-LS1-1 — Observe patterns of what plants need to survive
• 1-LS1-2 — Read texts/drawings to understand how plants use body parts (roots, leaves, bark)
• 2-LS2-2 — Model how animals disperse seeds or pollinate plants
• 2-LS4-1 — Make observations of plants/animals to compare diversity in habitats
• 3-LS1-1 — Develop models of plant life cycles (Leaf Life Cycle prompt)
• 3-LS3-2 — Explain traits affected by environment (Tiny World Under a Tree)
• 3-LS4-3 — Organisms survive better in some habitats than others
• K-ESS2-1 — Use observations to describe weather effects (Weather Watcher)
• 2-ESS2-1 — Compare solutions that slow/stop wind or water effects