How can we describe LEAVES? STEAM Activity - Shapes + Observation + Drawing

How can we describe LEAVES? STEAM Activity - Shapes + Observation + Drawing - 3 pages

“How Can We Describe Leaves?” – Leaf Observation & Classification Worksheet

This printable activity page introduces basic leaf terminology and guides students to describe leaves using clear categories.

Students will learn to identify:

• Vein Patterns: net-like vs. parallel
• Edges: smooth, toothed, or lobed
• Shapes: hand-shaped, spear-shaped, heart-shaped, round, or needle-shaped
• Arrangement: simple vs. compound
• Stem Arrangement: alternate, opposite, or whorled

Includes:

• Illustrated Reference Chart of Leaf Types
• Guided Questions to observe and classify real leaves
• “Help the Botanist” Practice Section to apply knowledge

Perfect for nature walks, science centers, outdoor classrooms, or plant anatomy units!

Curriculum Alignment:



NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards):

• K-LS1-1: Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive.
• 1-LS1-1: Use materials to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants and/or animals use their external parts.
• 2-LS4-1: Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats.
• 3-LS3-2: Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the environment.
• 3-LS4-3: Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some less well, and some not at all.

CCSS (Common Core State Standards – English Language Arts):

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.2: Identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.7: Explain how specific images contribute to and clarify a text.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.7: Use information gained from illustrations and the words in a text to demonstrate understanding of a process.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.8: Recall information from experiences to answer a question.

Skills Practiced:

✅ Observation and classification

✅ Vocabulary development

✅ Interpreting diagrams and charts

✅ Applying science terminology in context