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How to Make a Colorful Leaf Rubbing

PicoBuddyLower ElementaryHow-To / Procedural2 min read
Image for How to Make a Colorful Leaf Rubbing

Making a leaf rubbing is fun and easy. You can make pretty art with nature.

Things You Need:

  • Fresh, flat leaves
  • White paper
  • Wax crayons with the paper peeled off
  • A hard table

Step 1: Collect Your Leaves Go outside on a walk. Look on the ground under big trees.

Find leaves that are dry and flat. Pick different shapes and sizes.

Step 2: Feel the Leaf Turn the leaf over in your hands. One side feels smooth, and the other side feels bumpy.

You want the bumpy side for your art. These bumps are the leaf veins.

Step 3: Set Up Your Art Put your leaf on the flat table. Make sure the bumpy side faces up.

Place a sheet of white paper right on top of the leaf. Hold the paper still with one hand so it does not slip.

Step 4: Rub with Color Pick your favorite crayon color. Turn the crayon sideways so it lays flat against the paper.

Rub the side of the crayon back and forth over the leaf. Press down gently as you color.

Step 5: See the Picture Watch the shape of the leaf appear like magic! The bumpy lines will show up dark and bright.

Move the paper to make more rubbings with other colors. Now you have a beautiful leaf pattern to hang on your wall!

Glossary
nature:
The outdoor world of plants, animals, and trees.
smooth:
Having an even surface with no bumps.
bumpy:
Having raised spots or uneven parts.
veins:
The raised lines on a leaf that carry water and food.
pattern:
A design with shapes or lines that repeat.

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Preview questions from this passageShow
  1. 1What kind of art project does this text teach you how to make?
  2. 2Where does the text tell you to look for leaves?

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About this how-to / procedural passage for Lower Elementary

“How to Make a Colorful Leaf Rubbing” is a how-to / procedural reading passage about leaf rubbings, written for Lower Elementary. It takes about 2 minutes to read (230 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.

Is this passage free?

Yes. With a free account, you can read “How to Make a Colorful Leaf Rubbing” online and download a printable PDF worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.

What reading level is “How to Make a Colorful Leaf Rubbing”?

It’s written for Lower Elementary — a how-to / procedural text about leaf rubbings, about a 2-minute read (230 words).

What’s included with this passage?

An illustrated reading passage, a glossary of key terms, comprehension questions with an answer key, and an interactive quiz.

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Yes. Remix is included with Pro and Max for adapting it to another grade level or language.