Lesson 1

Apples Aplenty

Objectives:

• Students will learn about different varieties of apples.

• Students know how plants/trees are used to produce goods.

Time Required:

• One hour

Vocabulary:

• estimate

• graph

• sort

Materials:

• Red, green, and yellow apples (purchase a different number of each color of apple in order to allow variance on the graph)

• Chart paper or poster board paper for class graph

• One student graph per child

• Red, green, and yellow crayons for each student

• Two big apple shape cut outs made from poster board or bulletin board paper

• Paper plates and napkins

• Three large simple tree shapes from green and brown bulletin board paper or construction paper

• Applesauce Recipe

• KidPix

• Apple Shape cut-out

Procedures:

• Bring in a basketful of red, green, and yellow apples.  Have students examine and observe the apples up close.

• Have students estimate how many apples they think might be in the basket and record their responses along with their initials on the apple shape cut out.  (Give some background on estimating if students have never done it before).  Students count the apples as you remove each one from the basket.  Revisit the estimating apple and discuss who was closest to the correct number of apples in the basket.

• Ask students how the apples could be sorted into different groups by various attributes such as color, shape, or size.   Sort the apples into different groups and discuss how it was sorted.  Do this several times based on different attributes.  When apples have been sorted into three color groups then you will begin the class graph.  Have the class count the number of apples in each color group.  Color in the boxes in the corresponding column of the class graph.  Repeat this procedure for each color group.  Discuss the graph.  Students color their own graph.

• After the class graph activity, cut open several of the apples, slicing some parallel and some perpendicular to the core.  Have students examine the insides of the apples and discuss what they see and smell.  Cut a few of the apples into pieces for your students to taste.  Now ask students "What words can be used to describe an apple?"  Begin brainstorming words or phrases (i.e., red, green, yellow, round, white inside, crunchy, sweet, full of seeds, shiny, etc.) to describe the apples and record their responses on the other apple shape cut out.  (Display the apple cutout throughout your unit study on apples).

• Give students a piece of red, green and yellow apple for a taste test to determine which color of apple is favored by your students.  Give each student a small white apple cut out.  Ask your students to taste each one and choose their favorite.  They will color their apple the color of their favorite color of apple and write their name on the cutout.   Make three basic tree shape cutouts using green and brown bulletin board paper or construction paper.  Appoint each tree a different color.  Once students have made their selections, have students come up and place the apple cutouts on the correct tree.   Have students help you count the number of apples on each tree and record the total for each tree on the tree trunk. Then discuss the results and encourage them to compare quantities of more, less and equal.  Record their responses on a piece of chart paper as students discuss the results of the taste test (i.e., there are more red apples than yellow apples; there are less yellow apples than green apples, the most favorite apple is the green apples, etc.) and place the chart paper with their responses beside the apple trees.  (Display the apple trees throughout your unit study on apples).

Evaluation:

• For this lesson evaluation will be based on student participation and oral responses.  You can visit rubistar.4teachers.org for an example of a rubric.

Extension Activities:

• Make applesauce in small groups.  Then have each group create a book illustrating the applesauce recipe using KidPix.   Assign each student one ingredient, tool, or action that was used to prepare the recipe and students draw an illustration and type the word of the ingredient, tool or action.  Groups place the pictures in the correct order when they have printed their pictures.  Create a cover for the group's book with a title and all their names as authors and illustrators.  Do this with each group.

Home Learning:

• After students have had a chance to taste different apples and applesauce, discuss other products made from apples.  For homework have students use a word processor (if they have one, if not have them write it) and type a list of products made from apples (i.e., apple juice, apple pie, apple butter, apple-flavored cereal, apple muffins, apple jelly, etc).

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