Grade Level:  3-4

Subject:  Language Arts/Mathematics/Health

Learner Outcomes:
1. Students will write a descriptive paragraph using sensory words.
2. Students will be able to obtain data and use that data to construct a
bar graph.
3. Students will determine the nutritional value of various apple products.

Duration of Lesson: Three 1 hour lessons and one 45 min. culminating activity.
Materials:

Teacher Notes:

• Send home a note at the beginning of the lesson to ask the parents if they would be willing to fix an apple recipe for the class to share. Ask if anyone might not be allowed to participate in a tasting party because of allergies or any other reason.
• Teachers may purchase resources for the lesson.
• Teacher may use Inspiration software to create a graphic organizer which allows the students to use their senses to describe their apple.

Procedures:   Day 1
1. The teacher will give each student an apple to observe and investigate. After looking carefully at the apple and feeling it, the student may then eat the apple.
2.  The students should then fill in their graphic organizer with descriptive words which will prepare them for writing their paragraph.
3. The students will write their descriptive paragraphs and share with the parents at the tasting party.

                   Day 2
1. Supply the students with a variety of apples for tasting.
2. After tasting and determining what is their favorite, the class  recorder should tally the results on the overhead and give everyone a copy of the totals.
3. Students will then construct a bar graph which includes the appropriate information.
 

                   Day 3
1. Students should bring in nutrition labels from applesauce, apple juice, and
other apple foods.
2. After studying the labels and finding nutritional information on the internet,
   students can  determine which apple products are the most nutritionally sound.
3. Students can search the internet for apple recipes. Some good sites are:

• Michigan apples
• Washington apples
• Virginia apples
• I Love Apples

                   Day 4
1  Parents will bring the Apple-licious food in for a tasting party.
2. Students and parents will vote on the favorite apple recipe.
3. Students will share their descriptive writings with the class.
 

Modifications: Student's IEP's should be followed for appropriate modifications.
Students with food allergies should be allowed to eat other snacks on tasting day
so they don't feel excluded.

Enrichment Activities:
Students may participate in a Johnny Appleseed scavenger hunt.
Students may do an on-line wordsearch by visiting Apple Juice on the Internet.( Go to Fun and Games)
Students may read a variety of books which address the apple theme.
Evaluation/Assessment: Teachers can print a rubric to evaluate the students
descriptive writing.
Finished graphs can be checked for accuracy.

State Standards:
Language Arts: 3.46, 3.49, 3.50, 3.56, 3.66, 3.67, 3.76, 3.94, 3.100, 3.101, 4.48, 4.49, 4.51, 4.54, 4.56, 4.69, 4.70, 4.75, 4.77, 4.78, 4.85,4.95, 4.98, 4.99, 4.100, 4.101
Math: 3.29, 3.31, 3.40, 3.42, 3.59, 4.25, 4.28, 4.50, 4.54, 4.56
Health: 3.30, 3.31, 4.24
National Standards:
Language Arts:
Uses the general skills and strategies of the reading process
Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process
Math:
Uses a variety of strategies in the problem-solving process
Health:
Understands essential concepts about nutrition and diet

References:
Ten Apples Up on Top by Theo. LeSieg, Illustrated by Roy McKie
A Busy Year by Leo Leoni
A Tree is Growing by Arthur Dorros, Illustrated by S. D. Schindler
The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall, Illustrated by Shari Halpern
Johnny Appleseed Retold by Steven Kellogg
How Do Apples Grow? by Betsy Maestro, Illustrated by Guilio Maestro
The Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree by Gail Gibbons

Johnny Appleseed sites:
Johnny Appleseed Hidden Pictures
Johnny Appleseed Crossword
 
 
 
 

Authors: Carol Hastie, Joy Jackson, Sharon Stenson
                        Spring Hill Elementary