Have leaves, shells, flowers, seed pods, or other small nature objects from trees to observe and draw. Leaves and flowers can be pressed, dried, and laminated over a background of index card-weight paper. Heavy pencils, such as kindergarten pencils or carpenter's pencils, and regular pencils. Less expensive paper will work, however. Show students how most drawings begin with line and outline.
Shapes can be light or dark shapes.
Most good drawing have variations in light and dark from the palest gray to the darker grays and black, show light and dark shapes. Students can trace the shape of a real maple leaf, for example, tracing a flat shape is an excellent way to learn that shape. Point out that the veins of the leaf also show line and that these veins are the circulatory system of the plant, much like the veins in our own body which can be seen on the backs of our hands. Apply sand paper to the tip of the heavy pencil and grate the pencil dust onto the page over the leaf shape outline. Rub the pencil dust into the leaf shape with a Kleenex wrapped over the finger tip.