We find all kind of surprises in them. We talk about big, bigger and biggest. Count the number of peas we find and then plant some to see if they will grow. Some kids will sit for the whole hour shelling peas. Make a feely box with parts of a tree inside, bark, seeds, flowers, etc.
Children reach in and describe what they feel.
Throughout the time we're working with our Autumn leaves, we make various types of lists and charts for authentic shared writing experiences. This is a great way to introduce attributes. Each child chooses a leaf, and we write about the color of the leaves. When we finish writing our Predictable Chart, we make a class book with the illustrations made from leaf rubbings done in the color of the leaf. This is a very popular book that I keep on our Science Table while we continue exploring leaves.