Apple Day

[Lorna]

Hi

 

At school we are celebtrating apple day next friday and have to plan activities around this celebration.

 

I have a reception/year 1 class any suggestions welcomed.

 

Thanks

 

Lorna

[Guest]

Hi - try here for some suggested activities, books, poems etc.

[Guest]

We made individual apple crumbles the other week in those little foil trays you can get, the children then took them home to cook.

[Andreamay]

do you know the story from mary medlicot?

[Lorna]

Thanks for the link myhenroxanne.... some good ideas.

 

Andreamay- no i don't know that one... can you tell me please?

 

L

[Andreamay]

There was once a girl who was very bored one afternoon,

'mummy what can i do Im bored'

'well why dont you tidy your room'

'no thats boring' (put on the voice)

'well why dont you do your homework'

'aww mum thats boring' (you could keep going depending on you audience)

'I know why dont you try and find a green house thats round with a chimney on the top and a star inside it.?'

huh little girl shrugs

'ok then'

So off she went,she looked in her messy bedroom, in the wardrobe,under the bed-no there wasnt one ther,only toys and socks and bits of breakfast with fluff on!

(keep going see how your audience is)

She then went outside in the street (explain she was older so she was allowed on her own outside) looked down the stree coulnt find what she was looking for,so she went next door to grannies house and knocked on the door.

'granny mummys gone mad she asked me to find a round green house with a chimney on top and a star inside!and I cant find one anywhere'

granny smiled and said'come in I know just where you can find one go into my back garden to the bottom and you will see what you are looking for'

so the little girl did this but after awhile came back in and told granny she couldnt find one anywhere.

so granny went outside with her went to the bottom of her garden and picked up an apple from her tree.she took it inside into her kitchen 'there you are a round green house with a chimney on top(you need one with a stem)

the little girl smiled but then said 'but granny it hasnt a star inside'

grany didnt say a word she took a knife and sliced the apple in half(make sure you do it across the apple not down it)

'granny there is a star inside'!!

good idea to take a few in with you and practise before hand.

the story does not have to be precise as you are telling mine changes each time!

It never fails to impress them even our very little ones they cant believe it when you show them the star infact theres two(both sides)you may have to just poke about in it to remove a pip.

I hope it is of some use because I think it is a magical story that should be shared.

[Susan]

oh, thats lovely. I have heard that before but I didnt make the connection!

 

Have fun Lorna! You could always do some apple printing and cooking too!

[Lorna]

Thanks for that... I will definitely give it a try.

 

:)

[Guest]

Hi

 

I wrote a practical ideas article for EYE (Early Years Educator) on apples it is in the current issue. I know it is for up to 5, so some activities may not be suitable, but here are a few of the ideas with web addresses.

 

Jenny

 

Apple Day first began in 1990 started by an organisation called Common Ground to celebrate apples and orchards. More info can be found at www.commonground.co.uk/appleday/appleday/a-index.html

 

So how can we explore apples with children? To begin the best thing to do is to look at them from the perspective of a sensory exploration and this can be done with any age depending obviously on how it is presented to the children. Put together a collection of different varieties of apples. If you can source these from farm shops, farmers markets or pick your own farms you will get a much wider variety of apples, with more scope in terms of appearance and texture. The children can then smell them and feel the apples. The rough and smooth e.g. a discovery (smooth) and a russet (rough), look at the different colours the marks and the blemishes, the stalk. Try and include in your collection some larger cooking apples e.g. bramleys apples.

EXTENSION

Older children could be involved in apple tasting, if you have several different varieties available they can talk about the flavours and textures and which they prefer. This can then be extended to look at the parts of an apple: the seeds, the core and the peel. Additionally you can discuss the difference between eating apples and cooking apples. A further extension could be to plant the apple seeds.

 

APPLE BOBBING

This is of course a game associated with Hallowe’en, putting your head into a bowl of water to pick up an apple using your mouth. You might not be able to do this in the setting, but instead how about putting a selection of apples in the water tray. The children can see if different sized apples behave in differently in the water, do they feel different, what does the water do on the apple, does it go soggy, is an apple waterproof?

EXTENSION

To extend the experience you could add apple peel and plastic apples so the children can compare their behaviour with the real apples.

 

APPLE PRINTING

An obvious activity but a goody, as the apples are sturdy and easy for the children to hold and can be cut to fit little hands.

 

QUICK APPLE CAKE

This is a simple recipe and one the children will easily be able to be fully involved with. Any size mug will do as long as you use the same one for all ingredients!

2 mugs plain flour

1 mug caster sugar

half a mug of vegetable oil

1 - 1.5 mugs of milk

2 eggs

2 teaspoons of baking powder

sliced apple

icing sugar

cinnamon

In a bowl mix the flour, sugar, oil and eggs and add enough milk necessary to get a fairly runny consistency, then add the baking powder. Pour into a well greased baking tray and place apple slices on top of the mixture, sprinkle with icing sugar and cinnamon. Bake at gas mark 4 /180 degrees until golden brown and firm to touch.

 

All of the activities stimulate the child’s natural curiosity and encourage exploration through the senses in particular through touch and sight. They are able to make discoveries for themselves, encouraging independent learning and are suitable across the age range 0 - 5 years.

 

APPLE MATHS

There are a variety of ways in which apples can be used in maths activities. One or more can be used as non standard unit of measure on a balancing scales, either to weigh against other objects or how many eating apples do you need to balance the scales with a cooking apple? They can also line the apples up from the smallest to the largest. Apples can also be used to explore halves and quarters and for practical addition and subtraction exercises for older children.

 

Finally two rhymes idea for all , firstly to be sung to the tune of ‘I’m A Little Teapot’

I'm a little apple, short and round,

I make a munchy, crunchy sound,

If you bite into me you will see -

I'm delicious as can be!

 

and then lastly a finger rhyme

 

Apples here (point to self)

Apples there (point away)

Apples are growing everywhere (hands form a circle...the world)

Some are high (point up)

Some are low (point down)

You will see apples wherever you go (point to eyes)

 

USEFUL WEBSITES

To find out more information about apples generally you might find these websites useful:

www.ronnieappleseed.co.uk

www.bramleysapples.co.uk

www.orangepippin.com

[Lorna]

Thanks for that Jenny... lots of ideas...

 

Much appreciated

 

Lorna