Ways to Display School Leaf Collections

Collecting and Preserving

• Leaves are best collected in autumn. Green leaves can mold, but fallen leaves do not as often. In the autumn, the changing colors of the leaves make them prime parts of all sorts of artistic displays, but they can be brittle and need extra care. One excellent method for preserving them is to dip each leaf into beeswax. Most leaves can be used if care is taken to press them carefully to remove their moisture.

Organized Papers

• Teachers often require students to fasten their leaves with craft glue onto sturdy white card stock or construction paper. Each leaf must have its own paper and should be labeled with the name of its tree. Young children may print each name with wide markers, while older students may use printed labels they create on a computer. Labels should also include the collector's name, date collected and location. Finished papers can make a nice booklet.

Scientific Notebooks

• In the upper elementary grades, collections begin to exhibit more sophisticated elements. Though the basic display process includes securing leaves on paper accompanied by identification information, scientific notebooks or scrapbook albums hold the collection in a scholarly manner. Specifics for these school collections vary by teacher and grade level, but the basics have remained constant for generations. Museums and universities are excellent resources for album format, style tips and supply purchasing information.

Artistic Collages

• When science and math concerns are not topping the requirements list, teachers will offer artistic opportunities for students to display their collected leaves. Most any age student will enjoy making brightly colored leaf collages. Though gluing and assembling is an enjoyable pastime, others will wish to experiment with adding leaf rubbing or photographs to their art pieces. Collages may be displayed as part of art exhibits or used to make useful table coverings and displays.