As the half-time garden volunteer for Alex's first grade class, I am always interested in garden related ideas for the children. After a trip to the library, where I checked out a stack of books related to children and gardening -I unearthed the idea of leaf crowns. I thought the project was simple and perfect for Fall. This comes from a book I found online called Earthways. 

As explained in the link above, here is how you make these beautiful crowns. We also made a garland or leaf chain to decorate the classroom.

Here is what you need and how to do it:

You will need

• lots of recently fallen leaves with stems
• bag or basket for leaves

What to do

1. Spend some time gathering the leaves you will use. The children will want to help you with the gathering.
   NOTE: Very dry, brittle leaves will disintegrate very quickly. Use fairly large, freshly fallen leaves.
2. Sit in a place where you can see the children playing and where they can see what you are doing.
3. Take two leaves and remove the stem of one at its base. Overlap the tip of one leaf and the base of the other and use the stem to attach the two leaves by pushing it down through the place where the two leaves overlap and back up again, like a straight pin.
4. Continue to attach the leaves to each other in this way. Try the crown on a child's head and when it is big enough, attach the last leaf to the first in the same way. A crown!
5. Continue to make the crowns for other children. Encourage the children's imaginative play by addressing them "in character": "Leaf Family," "Prince Fall,""Queen Autumn," etc.
6. Make leaf crowns or garlands to decorate your classroom.
7. The children join in the activity by bringing you more leaves, removing the stems or, with the older children, making their own crowns with assistance, if needed.