Exploring Apples

Cut two apples in half (long & wide). Let the children explore the different parts of an apple (skin, stem, core, meat, seeds, etc) by touching, tasting and smelling. They can also listen when they bite the apple to the crunch sound that is made. Explain that an apple is a fruit because it contains seeds.

Apple Painting

Cut apples shapes from sponges. Provide shallow pans of red, yellow & green tempera paint, along with paper. The children can use the apple sponge as a painting tool, or it can be dipped and placed on the paper to create a print.

Applesauce

Core and cut 4 large apples. Place the apples in a pot with 1/2 cup of water. Simmer the apples on low heat, stirring occasionally , until soft. Add 3 Tbs. of sugar and sprinkle with cinnamon. Simmer and stir for a few more minutes. Cool & eat.

Apple Stand

Provide children with bags, plastic or wooden apples, cash register, money, stand & bushels. Encourage buying, selling and packaging of the apples through pretend play.

All About Apples

Using the attached apple information sheet or read an apple book. Talk about the different varieties of apples, uses of apples and facts about apples. You can also use a world and country map to show the different places where a lot of apples are grown (see attachment).

Click on the image to view and/or print.

Apple Orchard

Visit an apple orchard and observe the workers picking, sorting, and/or selling apples. Call attention to the different colors and types of apples. If possible, let the children pick an apple (or more) each to buy. Children can enjoy looking at and tasting the different types of apples grown in the orchard.

Apple Weighing

Provide a scale and let the children experiment by weighing different kinds and sizes of apples. You can also provide paper & pencils so the children or you can make note of the differences in weight.

Climbing and Apple Tree

Let the children explore by climbing an apple tree. Make sure you pick safe And sturdy trees to climb and talk to the kids about climbing safety. Or the children can climb on jungle gyms and pretend like they are climbing up apple trees.

Apple Tree Fingerplay

Way up high in the apple tree (stretch arms up high)
Two little apples smiled at me (show 2 fingers)
I shook that tree as hard as I could (shaking motion)
Down came the apples (downward motions)
Mmmmm----they were good. (smile and rub stomach)

Apples Journal Page

Read a book about apples then hand out a journal sheet with this question on it: "How do you like to eat apples?" Record the children's responses and let them draw a picture to go along with their response.

Click on the image to view and/or print.

Apples and Oxygen

Cut and core an apple into sections. Dip half the apple into lemon juice & place it on a plate. Place the remaining sections of apple on another plate. Label the plates. What happens to each plate of apples? Discuss how lemon juice keeps oxygen from the apples and they don’t discolor as rapidly.

Dried Apples

Peel, core & cut apples into slices or rings (1/8" thick). Prepare a saltwater solution (1 Tbs. salt to 1 gallon of water). Place the sliced apples in the solution for several minutes. Drain the apples. Place them in the oven (180°) for 3-4 hours or until dry. Turn the apples occasionally.

Apples Lesson

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I'm Back and Posting

We had a fun and busy summer, and I hope you did too. Now that we have gotten back into the school swing of things a little bit, I am going to be posting again. I will try and post a new subject of activities and a lesson plan every week (13-14 posts). I will keep it so all of the recent posts on a certain subject fits on the main page, so if you scroll down you should be able to see them all.
I have just posted new activities and a lesson plan about doctors and nurses.
PLEASE leave comments with questions and feedback.

Thanks and have a great school year!

Doctor/Nurse Office

Set up the following props for use in doctor and nurse pretend play: white coats or scrubs, rubber gloves, thermometer, gauze, tape, masks, eye droppers, tongue depressors, eye chart, cots, blankets, pencil & paper, scale, stethoscope, empty & clean medicine bottles, etc.

Mighty Mixture

Mix any of the following together: A variety of dried fruits (apples, apricots, raisins, pineapple, cherries, berries), A variety of seeds (pumpkin, sunflower), A variety of nuts (almond, walnuts, pecans, cashew,etc). Check on any nut allergies before deciding on what to add.
Talk about how it's important to eat a variety of healthy foods to take care of your body.

Medical Visit

Take a field trip to visit a doctor’s office or hospital. Point out and have somebody explain the different equipment and tools the doctors and nurses use. Also explain how it needs to be very clean (sterile) where doctors and nurses work so infection and disease won’t spread.

Cotton Swab Painting

Provide cotton swabs and cotton balls to be used as tools for painting with tempera paint. Talk about how doctors and nurses use cotton swabs and cotton balls. Ask the children how painting is different using these instead of paintbrushes or fingers.
We used water color paints with a cotton swab for each color, and thought it worked wonderfully!

Doctor, Doctor, Nurse

Play a game like “Duck, Duck, Goose” but insert the words “Doctor, Doctor, Nurse” instead. Have each child take turns being “it” and encourage them to give everybody in the game a turn to be chased.

Doctor Day (Chant)

My father said, “It’s doctor day,”
Then he and I we’re on our way
To see our friend the doctor who
Would check me out as doctors do.
She had more things than I can tell
To help her keep the people well.
She checked me up and all the while
She wore a big and friendly smile.
So now I hope that someday you
May go to see the doctor too!

Tongue Depressor Dominoes

Using markers draw a dividing line on each tongue depressor. On each half place a different number of dots. The number of dots can be based on the developmental level of the children. Demonstrate to the children how to play dominoes. Play with them too.

Washing Hands

Talk about how doctors and nurses have to wash there hands several times a day to prevent spreading disease or infection to others and to themselves. Provide a variety of hand-soap for the children to wash their hands with several times throughout the day (foam, gel, bar, etc.).

Medical Instruments

Place a variety of instruments that doctors use at the science table for the children to explore and try out, such as a stethoscope or a variety of thermometers (encourage children to keep these out of mouths and take temperatures in other appropriate and creative ways- armpit, hand, behind knee, etc)

Doctors/Nurses Journal Page

Read a book about doctors and nurses then hand out a journal sheet with this question on it: "If you were a doctor or a nurse, where would you like to work?" Record the children's responses and let them draw a picture to go along with their response.

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Picture A Doctor and A Nurse

Place a variety of doctor and nurse pictures around the room at children’s eye level. Include different types of doctors and nurses (eye, emergency, pediatrician, elderly care, surgeons, medics, etc) Pictures should depict both males and females in these medical occupations. Talk about them.

Growth Chart

Prepare a height and weight chart out of poster paper. Record each children’s height and weight on the chart. Repeat throughout the year and have the children observe their growth. Explain how doctors nurses look at the growth of children to help determine if they are healthy.

Doctors/Nurses Lesson

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