The word equinox is derived from two Latin words. Aequus means equal and nox means night. If your students have had lessons on the two solstices, then it will be nice to talk about the difference between a solstice and equinox as your begin with the lesson.
The solstices result in a change of the length of the day and night, while the equinoxes do not. There are two solstices- Summer and Winter and two equinoxes- Autumnal/Fall and Spring/Vernal. The summer and winter solstices result in the longest and shortest day of the year respectively, while the equinoxes result in an equal amount of daylight and darkness received all across the earth.
In the Northern Hemisphere, Fall equinox traditionally falls on the 22nd of September. This year we will be four weeks into the semester and I plan to take my students on a nature walk with their journal and an empty zip lock bag. We will collect any thing we find that shows the first signs of Fall and write about it in our journal. You may follow me along on Instagram for more Fall related lessons and activities.
I am always looking for inciting books for the children to go with our lessons and conversations. Here are some recommendations of books about Fall that we have read and the students love as well…
The Hike is a book about three explorers who set out to conquer the forest. Their adventure captures the highs and lows of a hike with friends as they take detours, make discoveries and capture the beauty around them.
Signs of Autumn is one of the books from a series of four books. The writer talks about the changing seasons and the first signs of Autumn.
Why Do Leaves Change Color is my personal favorite. It aligns with our Botany lessons so well. This book explains the magical process of how leaves change their color and also goes deeper into the concept of chlorophyll.
Acrostic Poems are one of our favorite activities in the Lower Elementary classroom. This is a well-loved book. It is a captivating picture book as the writer takes the reader on a journey through the colors and textures of Autumn/Fall.
Leaf Man is a perfect book for a follow up activity as we return from our nature walks. The children use their findings to create anything that inspires them.
Are you like me and always leave the best for the end. GoodBye Summer, Hello Autumn beautifully depicts the scenario of the cool breeze, blue jays heading South and leaves changing colors. I love how the sweet girl greets all the signs of the coming season with a series of conversations.
I hope you all will enjoy at least one of the books from these recommendations and I wish you all an enjoyable Fall equinox and wonderful school year!!