This is a three day theme unit featuring activities and ideas for all areas of the curriculum. It will help students become familiar with Johnny Appleseed while learning a wide variety of skills. This is particularly good for the fall. Bring in many different kinds of apples and discuss different ways apples can be used for different things.
John Chapman, born in 1774, spent most of his life growing apple trees. On his trip through the Ohio Valley, he often made gifts of apple seeds and sprouts to the settlers there. His neighbors began to call him Johnny Appleseed, and that is how we remember him.
Materials:
- apple parts to manipulate
- knife
- Disney movie: “Johnny Appleseed”
- tissue paper
- red paper (apple)
- green paper (worm)
- Marker to write #’s
- Extra dried apple seeds
- Movable parts calendar using apple #’s
- snacks using apples
- Johnny Appleseed Picture to color
- crayons
- Paper or coloring book on Johnny Appleseed
- Basket
- Apples for apple prints
- red paint
- heavy paper for prints
- Book: Ten Apples up On Top
- Green construction paper with a simple tree
- red crayons
- apple recipe
- recipe cards 3×5
Day 1 – Introduce the Apple Theme
LARGE GROUP ACTIVITIES
Show and Tell –
• Let parents know the theme for the coming week through a weekly newsletter. Ideas for a show and tell item would be something to do with or made from apples. It could also be a book, movie, or picture that they draw. Show and tell should be an option for this age group. They should be encouraged to talk about themselves or bring in educational items.
Calendar –
• The theme for this month could be “Things That Grow”. Students should be working with the calendar daily.
• For this month, you could have students place an apple on the calendar for each day that passes.
Science –
• Cut open an Apple and talk about the parts of the apple (seeds, core, skin).
• Talk about what is made from apples.
Poster – “An Apple Is a Kind of Fruit”
• Have the students name other kinds of fruits
SMALL GROUP ACTIVITIES
Art –
• Color and apple and make a bendy worm that sticks out from it.
• Make apples out of tissue paper.
Math –
• Make numbers cards in the shape of an apple and laminate them. The seeds inside the apple represent the number written inside. Make seeds the same size and laminate them. The students match up the seeds. This can be an activity that they can do on their own.
Small Motor Movement for Writing –
• Make a few large apples out of poster board and laminate them. Punch holes around edges and tie shoelace to one. Have the students string the shoelace through the holes.
nack –
• apples and peanut butter (check for allergies)
• Apple juice
EXTRA ACTIVITIES
Watch a portion of the Disney movie “Johnny Appleseed”, maybe only 15-20 minutes a day. Use it as an introduction to Johnny Appleseed for day 2.
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