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.
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.
Day 2 – Introduce Johnny Appleseed
LARGE GROUP ACTIVITIES
Song – sung to “This Old Man”
Four red apples, on the tree
Two for you and two for me
So-o shake that tree and watch them fall
One, two, three, four, that is all.
(Use this song to review yesterday’s topic. Talk about the movie)
Show and Tell –
• Tell about John Chapman as written above. Talk about nicknames and offer it as a show and tell topic for the day. Ask the students if they have a nickname.
Story –
• Read the paper book: “Johnny Appleseed’s Gift” – they will color this as a small group activity.
SMALL GROUP ACTIVITIES
Art –
• Color a picture of Johnny Appleseed.
• Color their book. Their parents can read it to them again at home.
• Students could color a Johnny Appleseed Pamphlet or each student could color their own picture with teacher written words to take turns taking home.
Science –
• Place apple seeds out on a tray for them to manipulate.
Math –
• Have them make a particular number of seeds in Johnny Appleseed’s basket. They could use the picture they colored earlier and go to a different center in the room to stamp the seeds on or use real seeds.
Snack –
• applesauce – have them make their own in small groups with teacher
• Apple fritters
LARGE GROUP ACTIVITIES
Poem: ” Two Little Apples” with hand motions
Way up high in the apple tree
2 red apples winked at me
I shook that tree as hard as I could
Down came the apples
Mmmmm…. Were they good!
EXTRA ACTIVITIES
Watch a portion of the Disney movie “Johnny Appleseed”.
Day 3 – Finish Johnny Appleseed Theme
LARGE GROUP ACTIVITIES
Poem: ” Ten Red Apples” with hand motions
Ten red apples grow on a tree
Five for you and five for me
Help me shake the tree just so
And ten red apples down below
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
Art –
• Make apple prints. Cut an apple in half crosswise. Use tempera paint and press onto paper.
• Make Johnny Appleseed puppets.
Math –
• Color Apple tree with 10 apples
Snack –
• Apple Muffins
• Make apple cider
Poem: Hot Apple Cider
Hand out on recipe cards in the shape of an apple with this poem on them to take home to mom and dad! (They can glue the poem on the apple as one of the activities).
Hot apple cider, hot apple pie,
Hot apple cider, my oh my!
Hot apple butter, hot apple crisp,
Hot apple butter, what a dish!
Hot apple muffins, hot apple tart,
Hot apple muffins they steal my heart!
Hot apple toppings, hot applesauce,
If you don’t like apples, oh what a loss!
