Spotted Laurel

One of the things I want to do this year is a nature study, not only to get the girls outside, but to make them really aware of the nature around them.  The owners of the house that we live in planted several bushes, trees and flowers in our yard, so we will have no shortage of plants to study (although figuring out the names of the plants may be a difficult task!).  We will also be studying animals, bugs, weather, etc.

This morning, we started with what I think is a Spotted Laurel.  If I am wrong, and someone knows what the plant it actually called, please let me know.

First, we looked at the leaves while still on the plant. 

Then, we picked a few of the leaves.  We talked about the leaves' colors and shape.  We noted the veins running through the leaves.

Then, we documented what we saw.  The girls painted their impressions of the leaves.  They started first with green paint, then added the veins with a wooden skewer, and finished with the yellow spots.