What's up with this leaf?

What’s up with this leaf? It’s changing colors because it’s getting ready for winter.

Imagine your favorite jacket, when it gets cold outside, you wear it to stay warm. Leaves work kind of like that jacket. During summer, they’re green and full of energy, but as the days get shorter and colder, they start to slow down.

Leaves have little messages inside them, like notes from a teacher telling them what to do next. These messages are called chlorophyll, and they make leaves look green. But when the weather changes, those messages fade away, kind of like when you forget your homework.

As the chlorophyll goes away, other colors that were always there, like yellow, orange, and red, start to show up. That’s why the leaf looks so pretty now!

It’s like a leaf is wearing a new outfit for winter. Soon, it’ll fall from the tree and rest until spring comes again.