Happy September! Fall is in full swing, and what does that mean? It's time for apples! Apple activities in the classroom are a perfect way to engage students in agriculutre and the season, all while learning some 'core' concepts too. Did you know that Illinois produces around 22,400,000 pounds each year? All those apples would make 8 million apple pies.
Check out these other fun facts about apples:
Illinois Ag in the Classroom has been hard at work coming up with new resources for your classroom. Some of the newest additions are our Apple Junior Ag Mag targeted at 2nd through 4th graders and our Facts for Little Readers: Apples for Kindergarten and 1st graders. These are the perfect resources to give your students information on apples with a worksheet activity to go along.
Two other lessons perfect for Kindergarten through third graders are "Apple Chain" and "Apple Blossom Tree." Both of these lessons follow the science behind the production of apples through seasons. They also are perfect art projects!
Check out all of these resources below:
Read about all things Apples with our Apple Ag Mag and Ag-Venture with Apples. This is a great classroom activity for 4th through 8th graders. Use the Ag-Venture with Apples activity hand in hand with the Ag Mag. This helps students follow along and make connections between apples and agriculture!
"Bad Apple" by Huw Lewis-Jones
"How to Grow an Apple Pie" by Beth Charles
"Apple Pie Picnic" by Alicia Duran
"Applesauce Day" by Lisa Amstutz
"The Apple Orchard Riddle" by Margaret McNamara
"Apple Crush: A Graphic Novel" by Lucy Knisley
"Seed by Seed: The Legend and Legacy of John "Appleseed" Chapman" by Esme Raji Codell
"Apples to Oregon" by Deborah Hopkinson
Check out this interview with the author of Applesauce Day. Not only will you learn about apples, but also about the book production, editing, and writing processes.
Our apple curricular resources are full of science lessons that are certified 'awesome sauce.' Our two most sought after apple science lessons are "Browning Apples" and Apple-Copter."
"Browning Apples" is targeted at 2nd through 6th graders. Students will investigate how to keep apple slices from browning in this engaging inquiry experiment. By using different 'chemical' mixes, students can see firsthand how to preserve apples.
"Apple-Copter" is targeted at kindergarten through 4th graders. This lesson is a fun, hands-on activity designed to help students understand gravity, force, and friction. Typically taking 45 minutes, this lesson can be shortened or extended with fun connected activities!
Check them out here:
Follow along with Tom Range, owner and operator of Braeutigam Orchard in Belleville, Illinois!
Thanks to April showers aplenty this year, most Illinois farmers will spend the first part of this month planting rows and rows of Illinois' top agriculture commodities: corn and soybeans, and we will follow suit by sharing rows and rows of our favorite corn and soybean resources!
Fun, hands-on activities to get students thinking and problem solving by carrying out STEM and inquiry challenges with connections to agriculture.
As the weather warms into spring, many teachers and students are antsy to start getting back outside during the school day. Over 95% of primary and secondary schools across the country do just that on April 22nd each year - Earth Day! This month on the blog, we will highlight our favorite Earth Day and Sustainability activities that you can use to help you celebrate.