Apples

Apple Adventure

Have the children bring a number of apples to school; the greater variety, the better.  Sort them in as many ways as the children can think of (size, shape, color).  Make a floor graph to find out which color group has the most apples.  Have apple tasting and have the children vote on their favorite kind.  Make apple prints as an art project.  Make applesauce together or have apple sauce for snack.

Apple Estimation Activities

Bring in a basket filled with apples to class and have the children estimate how many are there.  Label the columns on a graph by fives (0-5;6-10, and so on)  Give the children sticky notes to write their guesses on, and display the estimates in the appropriate columns.  Count the apples.  Discuss the graph, asking questions such as, "did more people guess too few or too many apples?"  Arrange the apples by size, smallest to largest, then largest to smallest.  Finish the activity by making apple sauce.

How do you Like your Apples?

Have the children brainstorm how many different ways people fix apples to eat.  Make a list of all the ideas.  Make a graph labeled:  Raw and Cooked.  Discuss which of the ideas mentioned are cooked or raw prepared apples.  Graph your ideas  Discuss the results.

Apple Fingerplay

Five little apples sitting on the floor.

I'll roll one away, and that leaves four. (Make rolling motion with arms)

Four little apples hanging on a tree.

I'll pick one off, and that leaves three. (Pick an imaginary apple)

Three little apples, I know what to do!

I'll put one in my pocket, and that leaves two. (Pretend to put one in your pocket)

Two little apples sitting in the sun.

I'll pick one up and that leaves one.  (Pretend to pick one apple from the floor)

One little apple waiting in my lunch.

I'll eat it up with a crunch, crunch, crunch.!  (Pretend to take a big bite)

Apple, Apple on the Tree

(Sung to: "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star")

Apple, apple on the tree,

I know you are good for me.

You are fun to munch and crunch

For a snack or in my lunch.

Apple, apple on the tree,

I know you are good for me.

The Apple Tree Game

Construct an apple tree on the wall from bulletin board paper.  Make "apples" from red, green and yellow construction paper; one for each child.  Glue or stencil in "A" pictures on each apple (before you give them to the children).  To play the game, have the children look at the picture on their apple, say it's name, and place it on the tree.  For older children, divide the tree in half for "long" a and "short" a and have the children decide if their apple belongs on the "short" a side or the "long" a side.

"A" is for Apple Display

Have the children from magazines and bring in pictures of items that begin with the letter A.  Display the pictures on a large cutout of an apple titled "A is All Around Us."

Apple Book List

"An Apple a Day"....by Judi Barrett

"Johnny Appleseed"....by Steven Kellogg

"Apple Pigs"....by Ruth Orbach

"Apples, How They Grow"....by Bruce McMillan

"The Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree"....by Gail Gibbons

"Applebet: An ABC"....by Clyde Watson

"The Apple"....by Dick Bruna

Ants

Anthill

Take the children on a walk to find an anthill.  Provide magnifying glasses.  When ants are found, encourage the children to squat down near them but not to move.  As the children watch the ants at work, ask questions like, "what do you think they are doing?"  "Are they carrying anything?"  Point out that ants are very strong and that most can lift object ten times as much as they do.

Anthill Mural (make a large anthill from bulletin board paper and display on wall)

After observing the ants, go back to the classroom and discuss with the children what they saw and learned about ants.  Give each child a piece of paper and crayons and have them draw one ant (as big as the paper will allow) doing something that they observed.  Help the children cut out their ants, and on the wall mural display the ants.

Ant Thumbprints

With  a washable inkpad and white pieces of paper encourage the students to place their thumb into the ink and press the inked thumb onto their paper as many times as they would like.  The show the children how to add legs.

The Ants go Marching One by One

(Traditional)