Autumn Equinox
Using hands-on activities, nature exploration, and a lot of creativity, our guides make early learning a joyful experience. We use techniques such as nature walks, hands- on lessons to learn about apples, sensory play, and science experiments.
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Science | Begins September 15th
Science-based program for ages kids.
Autumn Equinox Lesson 1 - The Great Fall Detective
Activity: Nature Solar Print
Gather materials. Encourage your child to collect a variety of nature findings such as leaves, pine cones, and acorns.
Find a warm, sunny spot to create your autumn-themed solar prints. Lay out your cyanotype paper and shield it from the sun until you are ready for the print to be created. Encourage your child to arrange autumn nature findings around the paper.
Allow 2-3 minutes of sun exposure.
Develop your solar print immediately after sun exposure by placing it in water for 1-2 minutes then blot dry.
Read out the following:
Equinoxes occur on the day when the North and South Poles on Earth are equal distances from the Sun. This results in day and night being the same length of time!After the Autumn Equinox, the days continue to get shorter and the nights get longer because as the earth revolves around the Sun, the Pole that was pointing towards the Sun is now tilting further away from the Sun. In the northern hemisphere, this happens in September, and in the southern hemisphere, this happens in March. On Earth, the coming of autumn is usually signalized by the cooling temperatures and the changing colors of leaves on trees.
Field Journal Promopt:
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Head outside and welcome the Autumn Equinox by going on a nature walk. If the Autumn Equinox falls on a weekday, a big adventure might be out of the question, but a stroll around your neighborhood, local nature trail, or nearby park should be fun! While you are outside with your child, find a nice spot to sit, observe, and notice the clues that signal the arrival of autumn. Have your child observe the different color leaves on trees, the cooler temperatures, and the shorter days compared to summer.
Cutouts Booklet: Pages 1-2
Review concepts related to fall using the Autumn Equinox Flashcards. Using their Field Journal, have your child sketch what they observe related to the Autumn Equinox. Once they are done, encourage them to tell you about their journal entry using proper vocabulary related to the season.
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Introduce the concept of the Autumn Equinox by observing the changing seasons outdoors.
Understand how the Sun relates to the Autumn Equinox
Engage fine motor skills and basic human senses
Understand the unique characteristics of fauna related to the Autumn Equinox
Connect with a variety of animals through observation
Learn about animal migration during the autumn
Understand why some animals migrate every year
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Nature findings such as leaves, pinecones, and acorns
Cyanotype Paper
Medium to large size bin
Water (to fill bin)
Playdough
Small twigs, acorns, seeds
Small rocks and/or pebbles
Flowers and/or leaves
Hiking boots
Hiking stick
Survival supplies (water, snacks, flashlight, map, etc.)
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Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Pak
Because of an Acorn by Lola M. Schaefer
Fletcher and The Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson
Autumn is Here by Heidi Pross Gray
Autumn by Gerda Muller
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Download the Child Field Journal and use this article’s lesson plans to learn all about autumn!
Mark your calendar to welcome the Autumn Equinox! Discuss the changes this season brings to the natural world with your child. Focus on topics that relate to the weather, fauna, flora, and biota.
Ask your child to identify some characteristics that relate to the season of autumn.
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Create a nature table to demonstrate the season of autumn by using nature items such as seasonal fruits and vegetables, woodland animals, and plants. Include items such as leaves, acorns, pumpkins, and apples.
Sensory Play
Encourage your child to use their preferred method of art to create a portrait that reflects the season of autumn. Some ideas for a portrait can include a tree with falling leaves or an apple farm.
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Lessons in This Series
The Great Fall Detective
Forecasting Fall Fun (Meteorology)
Acorns, Antlers, and Dens Study
Nature's Great Migration
Nature Field Journal
Autumn Equinox Lesson 2 - Forecasting Fall Fun (Meteorology)
Activity: Autumn Patterns
Gather a variety of autumn nature findings such as different colored leaves, pine cones, acorns, pumpkin seeds, and apples.
Introduce the concept of patterns to your child by encouraging them to create unique designs.
See how many different patterns they can come up with. You can also create a repeating pattern and ask them what item would come next in the pattern.
Read out the following:
The season of autumn is when we start to feel the temperatures cooling and the moisture levels rising. With there being less and less direct sunlight on our hemisphere on Earth each day, we typically experience temperatures that continue to cool throughout the season, compared to the temperatures of summer.We also tend to experience more mist, fog and rain during the autumn months. Mist and fog can be considered types of low-lying clouds. They are formed when water vapor in the air condenses back to liquid water. Tiny water droplets hang in the air, and can often make it difficult to see our surroundings. This is typically called fog when you can’t see things closer than 1 kilometer away, and mist if you can see a bit further than that. Fog is thicker than mist, and both can be accompanied by light rain showers, which happen when the tiny water droplets come together and form larger droplets. Sometimes the fog is so thick that you can’t see cars on the road, or bridges, or buildings! It is very important to be aware of your surroundings and be extra careful if something like fog makes it hard to see.
Field Journal Prompt:
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Experience the autumn weather by heading outside with a thermometer during the morning, afternoon, and evening. While you are outside with your child, use a thermometer to check the temperature and use your senses to feel the cooler air and moist climate.
Using their Field Journal, have your child record the outside temperatures. Once they are done, encourage them to explain their journal entry using proper vocabulary related to the autumn meteorology. Then, color the autumn equinox coloring page!
Autumn Equinox Lesson 3 - Acorns, Antlers, and Dens Study
Activity: Fauna Nature Play-Dough
Using playdough, encourage your child to sculpt animals that they may see during autumn. Have them use their imaginations and nature findings to create patterns, or specific animal features, such as twigs as antlers. Older children may enjoy creating an entire autumn diorama with trees, shrubs, and several animals.
Once complete, have your child describe the different animals they chose to make, and how they imagine each animal behaves during autumn and starts to prepare for the coming winter.
Read out the following:
Just like us, animals experience the seasonal changes that come with autumn. Food becomes more scarce in autumn, as many plants stop flowering and may die before winter arrives. The cold weather and reduced sunlight also affects the ability of plants to survive. Animals must prepare for this time when food will be hard to find. They may eat more than usual, or gather extra food and store it away for them to eat during the cold winter months. They may also seek out shelter from the cold in caves or burrows, as there is typically much less foliage around to take shelter in. Some animals may even prepare for hibernation or dormancy.
Field Journal:
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Autumn is a great time to head outside and see a variety of animals that enjoy cooler temperatures and start to prepare for the upcoming winter season.
Head outside and go on a nature walk. Keep alert and try to spy as many animals as you can. Use binoculars to see them up close. Try to spot animals such as birds, rabbits, squirrels, and deer in their natural habitat.
Using their Field Journal, have your child draw and label the fauna they witnessed while on their nature walk. Once they are done, encourage them to explain their journal entry and ask them questions related to their observations.
Autumn Equinox Lesson 4 - Nature's Great Migration
Activity: Migration Pretend Play
Animals that migrate can fly, swim, or travel by land to get to their new location. Imagine that you are an animal that has to travel by land to get to a new location.
Head to a local nature trail and begin your migration to build a new home. Once you have found the perfect spot, create a place of shelter by using nature finds such as branches and leaves. Why did you choose this particular place? Are there good resources nearby? Will you be safe from predators?
Read out the following:
Animals such as birds, caribou, and whales move from one place to another based on what they need to survive. Some animals travel away from their homes during autumn and then come back in the spring. These travels are called migrations and take place every year.In autumn, the weather typically gets cooler and many plants start to wither, or shed their leaves due to the colder temperatures and reduced sunlight. Many animals use these signals to know when to start their annual migration. They typically venture towards warmer weather where food will be more available. They tend to navigate by using the Sun and the stars or by using landmarks such as mountains. Some even use the wind patterns to make their way from one location to the next! Some animals like butterflies cannot survive in cold weather so they have no choice but to go where it is warmer. Others, like polar bears, can also head further south, because it gets cold enough for them to still be comfortable!
Field Journal Prompt:
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Animals typically migrate because of the seasonal changes in the weather and in the environment. They typically leave their homes for a few months at a time to find warmer climates, better food sources, and safer places to create offspring.
In their Field Journal, have your child illustrate the place they imagine that they would migrate to if they had to migrate every autumn. Where would they go? What would they see? Be sure they include those that would travel with them, and have them explain to you why they chose the location they chose.
