Wooden puzzle: "forest expert"

MATERIAL OVERVIEW:

3 drawers containing fourteen leaf shapes:

• the reniform (kidney-shaped) leaf
• the circular leaf
• the acicular (needle-shaped) leaf
• the spatulate leaf
• the triangular leaf
• the linear leaf
• the circular leaf
• the lanceolate leaf
• the hastate leaf
• the sagittate leaf
• the oval leaf
• the obovate leaf
• the cordate (heart-shaped) leaf
• the elliptical leaf

Example of a practical exercise:

1. Invite the child to observe some plants
2. Fetch three potted plants
3. Place them on the table and sit around it with the child
4. Choose one plant, place it in front of you and touch the leaves
5. Invite the child to touch them too, saying: "Have you seen the leaves? And their colour?" Bring another pot closer and again have the child touch the plant's leaves, compare them with the previous ones, ask which ones they find thicker, and whether they have looked at the edge of the leaves — does it have teeth? Is it smooth? Also point out to the child the veins on the leaves
6. Once the leaves of all three plants have been observed, ask the child which leaf they would like to draw
7. Give them paper and a pencil
8. Once finished, take the first drawer of the botany cabinet with the three leaf models that we think match the different leaves in front of us
9. Place it on the table and ask the child whether, among the leaves shown, they recognise the one they drew
10. Carry out this same search with the leaves of the other plants.
11. Another time, sit with the child at a table and fetch the first drawer of the botany cabinet.