That’s right: ALL APPLES!

We’re in the mood for all things autumn in our house and we’re also a little burned out from our usual routine, so I put together a short (one-week) learning block on apples!  (I’m also thinking about resources for pumpkins . . . )

It’s possible this block will be apple overkill, but we’ll give it a try and I’ll see if the kids are running away at the mention of the word “apple” by Day 3.  🙂   This learning block is most suited to children ages pre-K to 3rd grade or so because of the book selections, but older children will enjoy reading the selections to the little ones and getting involved in the baking and crafts.

I’ve previewed the books and they look great, but I’ll see how the kids like them.  If the Learning Block works well, I will post it in chart format on the First Heralds Learning Ideas page, along with recipes and instructions for the crafts.

Story Time:

Apple Farmer Annie (Monica Wellington) Annie harvests her apples to make cider and applesauce, and takes her apples to market to sell.  Cute illustrations.  Recipes for applesauce, muffins and cake!

Applesauce Season (Eden Ross Lipson) If you are a “slow food” family, this is a lovely book to read this fall!  A boy and his family live in the city, but they shop for apples at the farmers market. The book details how this extended family lovingly chooses their apples, prepares them, cooks them, eats them.  Lovely illustrations.

Math:

Ten Red Apples (Pat Hutchins ) Fun story that incorporates lessons in counting and rhyming.

Nature & Seasons:

The Seasons of Arnolds Apple Tree (Gail Gibbons)  The story of a boy and his apple tree through the seasons.

 
The Apple Pie Tree (Zoe Hall) Follows the cycle of an apple tree through the seasons.

Science:

How Do Apples Grow?  (Betsy Maestro) Presents the science of how apples grow from seed to harvest.  Very engaging.

The Apple Pie Tree  (Zoe Hall) Follows the cycle of an apple tree through the seasons.

Activities:

• Cooking:
  • Make applesauce
  • Bake apple bread or apple cake
• Crafts:
• Make apple prints
• Apple votives
• Nature Exploration
• Apple picking