HARVEST Lesson Plan

LESSONS
T H I S M O N T H ’ S T H E M E :

APPLES
HARVEST LESSONS ARE A FUN WAY FOR K-4 CLASSROOMS TO EXPLORE,
TASTE AND LEARN ABOUT EATING MORE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES EVERY DAY.

ACTIVITY SUMMARY
ACTIVITY GRADE LEVEL CURRICULUM CONNECTION TIME
Intro all Literacy: speaking, listening 10 min.
Science, social studies: evaluating claims
to determine whether they are true

Taste Test all Literacy: speaking, listening 20 min.

Math: measurement, graphing/tallying
responses
#1 Observe, Draw & all Science: classification, observation 15 min.
Discuss Apples

#2 Apple Sequencing all Science: life cycles 10 min.

#3 Importance of 3-4 Social Studies: past and present 20 min.

Apples Activity Literacy: listening and speaking

#4 Apple Literature all Literacy: listening comprehension 20 min.

#5 Apple Songs all Music and movement 5 min.

#6 Mapping the History 3-4 Social Studies: history, geography 20 min.

of Apples

#7 It’s a Small World 3-4 Social Studies: geography 10 min.

© Vermont Harvest of the Month | www.vermontharvestofthemonth.org

 HARVEST LESSONS | APPLES | PAGE 2

INTRODUCTION (10 MINUTES) ALL GRADES

TRUE OR FALSE?
Introduce or reintroduce yourself to the class. Begin with a fun interactive true or false
activity. When a statement is true, students will stand up. When they believe a statement is
false, they will sit down.

1. The very first apple trees grew in North America.

False! Apple trees originated in Kazakhstan, a small country near Russia.
Then people brought apples to China, and then to Europe, and then when Europeans
came to North America in the 1600s, they brought apples with them.

2. There once were 14,000 different kinds of apples growing in the United States.
True! In 1905 the U.S. Department of Agriculture published a 400 page book listing more than
14,000 distinct types of apples grown in the U.S. Now there are a lot fewer kinds of apples
because fewer people are farmers, and growers favor sweet varieties for eating, rather than
some older more tart varieties for cider.

3. You can only eat local apples in the fall.

False! If kept at a cool temperature with the right amount of moisture, apples can keep for
a long time! You can find Vermont & New Hampshire apples at some grocery stores all year
long! If your grocery store doesn’t have local apples all year, you can make apples into
applesauce and can it, and eat local apples all year that way.

4. Johnny Appleseed was a real person.

True! His real name was John Chapman, and he brought hundreds of apple
seeds west. He started several different tree nurseries, and sold apple trees to other white
settlers who were heading west.

5. Red delicious apples are the most tasty kind.

False! Most people think they are one of the least yummy kinds of apples. They’re grown
because they look very beautiful and delicious, and are very hard so they aren’t easily
bruised while traveling across the country in trucks to grocery stores.

6. Apples are the healthiest fruit because “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”
False! Apples are very healthy, because they have lots of Vitamin C, and lots of fiber, which
helps your digestive system do its job, as well as some phosphorous and some potassium
which are both important nutrients. But other fruits have more types of vitamins and nutrients,
and a higher amount per serving. The saying “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” was
invented by apple growers in the early 1900s because they wanted people to buy more
apples.

© Vermont Harvest of the Month | www.vermontharvestofthemonth.org

 HARVEST LESSONS | APPLES | PAGE 3

(introduction, continued)
Ask these focusing questions throughout the lesson:
• What is the part of the plant that we eat?
• What color is it?
• How does it help our body?
• Where does it originate?

HEIRLOOM APPLE TASTE TEST (20 minutes)

PREPARATION
Gather varieties of apples that grow locally. Try to get varieties that show the diversity of
colors and sizes available. Bring in an apple slicer or knife and cutting board, careful to keep
sharp items away from children.

PROCEDURE
Ask, “Is every apple the same?” and then explain that there are different kinds of apples,
and that “You’re going to see if you can taste the difference!” Say the name of a variety,
and write it on the board. Then have each student taste it. Ask them to describe what it
tastes like, and record the words they say. For younger kids, you might need to give them
some examples of words to use (sweet, sour, tart, tangy, crunchy, soft, mushy). Do this for
every variety. Then ask the class to vote on their favorite. Record the votes in a chart with
tallies.

ACTIVITY #1 (15 MINUTES) ALL GRADES

OBSERVE & DRAW APPLES

MATERIALS
• Journal or paper
• Colored pencils
• Apples (whole and sliced)

PROCEDURE
Have students draw and label the parts of an apple. Can they label skin, seeds? After
conducting an apple taste test they can write in their journals about their experience. What
was their favorite variety? Did they learn something new about apples today?

© Vermont Harvest of the Month | www.vermontharvestofthemonth.org

 HARVEST LESSONS | APPLES | PAGE 4

ACTIVITY #2 (10 MINUTES) ALL GRADES

APPLE SEQUENCING
Ask students “How do we get apples anyways? Where do they come from?” Take a few
responses. Then explain that there are a lot of steps that go into growing apples. With
younger students (K-2), go over what each card represents (out of order though).

Explain that students will try to put them in the right order. Give a deck to each student or
pair of students, and give them 5 minutes to arrange them. Then ask a few students or pairs
to share the sequence they came up with. Find and discuss the correct order as a class.

ACTIVITY #3 (20 MINUTES) GRADES 3-4

IMPORTANCE OF APPLES
Hand out a Venn diagram template (see appendix) to each student, and explain how a
Venn diagram works. Draw your own Venn diagram on the board. “We’re going to use our
Venn diagram to compare how apples used to be important here 100 or 200 years ago, and
how they are important now.”

Label one circle “Past,” and one circle “Present” or “Today.” Have students brainstorm
reasons apples are and were important. Use props (see attached “List of Apple Props” for
ideas) to prompt them. Guide them to record the reasons in the appropriate part of their
Venn diagram (ask them where a reason should go, correct them if necessary, record the
reason in one or two words on the board, then give them a little time to record it in their own
diagram). When you run out of reasons or time, review the diagram and what it means with
the class. You can follow this activity with a journal activity.

SUGGESTED PROPS
• Fresh apple (or plastic model)
• Empty vitamin bottles for:
• Vitamin C
• Potassium
• Fiber
• Bottle of cider vinegar (empty or full)
• Jug of cider (empty or full)
• Applesauce container (jar, package, cup)
• Jelly jar or pectin packet
• Piece of firewood
• Photo of a rocking chair

© Vermont Harvest of the Month | www.vermontharvestofthemonth.org

 HARVEST LESSONS | APPLES | PAGE 5

(activity #3 continued)
• Pie pan or apple pie toy or photo
• Picture, figurine or stuffed animal of some animals that eats apples and/or apple leaves
or saplings, such as:
o white tailed deer
o skunk
o raccoon
o birds (ruffed grouse, cedar waxwings, woodpeckers, yellow-bellied
sapsuckers, blue-jays, crows and many more)
o caterpillars (viceroy butterfly larva, eastern tent caterpillar and many many
more)
o cow
o horse
o squirrel
o mouse
o black bear
o fox

Write in journal about why apples are important (10 min): Explain at least one reason why
local apples are or were important, and draw a picture that illustrates that reason. For
second grade and up, ask for full sentences. For third and fourth graders, ask for one reason
they were important in the past and one reason they are important now. Remind students
that they can use their Venn diagram to help with what to write.

ACTIVITY #4 (20 MINUTES) ALL GRADES

APPLE LITERATURE
There is an abundance of books about this popular fruit. Here’s a list of favorites from
Vermont FEED. You may have a favorite of your own.

• Amazing Apple Book (as a teacher’s resource)

• My Apple by Kay Davies and Wendy Oldfield (fabulous photos)
• The Life and Times of the Apple by Charles Micucci
• An Apple Tree Through the Year by Claudia Schneiper
• The Seasons of Arnold’s Apple by Gail Gibbons
• How Do Apples Grow by Betsy Maestro
• Albert’s Field Trip by Leslie Tryon
• The Apple by Joy Cowley (The Wright Group)
• The Story of Johnny Appleseed by Aliki
• Apple Picking Time by Michele Benoit Slawson
• Applesauce by Shirley Kurtz
• How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World by Marjorie Priceman
• The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall

© Vermont Harvest of the Month | www.vermontharvestofthemonth.org

 HARVEST LESSONS | APPLES | PAGE 6

(activity #4 continued)
• Apple Picking Time by Michele B. Slawson
• The Life and Times of the Apple by Charles Micucci
• Ten Apples Up on Top by Theo LeSieg (Dr. Seuss)
• Johnny Appleseed by Steven Kellogg

ACTIVITY #5 (5 MINUTES) ALL GRADES

SING APPLE SONGS

Sing these fun apple songs, to the tune of some familiar children’s songs.

DO YOU KNOW THE APPLE MAN? APPLES, APPLES

(sung to the tune of The Muffin Man) (to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star)
Oh, do you know the apple man Apples juicy, apples round,
The apple man On the tree or on the ground.
The apple man Apples yellow, apples red,
Oh, do you know the apple man Apple pie and juice and bread!
Who loves to grow his trees Apples crunchy, apples sweet,
Apples are so good to eat
Oh, he has a great big smile
A great big smile APPLE
A great big smile (to the tune of BINGO)
Oh, he has a great big smile I know a fruit that grows on trees,
And loves to grow his trees And apple is its name, oh!
Oh, he has a big red apple A-P-P-L-E
A big red apple A-P-P-L-E
A big red apple A-P-P-L-E
Oh, he has a big red apple
To bake a pie for me And apple is its name, oh!
(You can substitute other products for the pie, In summer and in early fall,
such as applesauce, apple muffin, apple crisp) It’s time to pick an apple! (repeat A-P-P-L-E)
It may be sweet or may be tart,
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN AN APPLE It’s red or green or yellow! (repeat A-P-P-L-E)
(to the tune of Have You Ever Seen a Lassie)
Have you ever seen an apple, A MacIntosh or Granny Smith,
An apple, an apple A Winesap or Delicious! (repeat A-P-P-L-E)
Have you ever seen an apple Make applesauce or apple juice
That grows on a tree? Or apple pie with apples! (repeat A-P-P-L-E)
A red one, a yellow one
A green one, a golden one
Have you ever seen an apple
That grows on a tree?

© Vermont Harvest of the Month | www.vermontharvestofthemonth.org

 HARVEST LESSONS | APPLES | PAGE 7

ACTIVITY #6 (20 MINUTES) GRADES 3-4

MAP THE HISTORY OF APPLES

MATERIALS
• A copy for each student of Harvest Lessons map (see appendix)
• One copy of the Apple Timeline & Mapping Directions to project, or one copy per student
• An atlas for each student or pair of students
• Colored pencils

PROCEDURE
Pass out copies of the Harvest Lessons map to each student. Project or pass out the Apple
Timeline & Mapping Directions. Instruct students to follow the directions to map the history of
apples!

ACTIVITY #7 (10 MINUTES) GRADES 3-4

IT’S A SMALL WORLD

See attached sheet for background information and instructions on this activity from Healthy
Food from Healthy Soils, which uses apples to demonstrate the finite nature of earth’s
resources.

OTHER IDEAS
• See attached background information on some of the more complicated parts of apple
reproduction – pollination, grafting, and the difference between an heirloom and a
hybrid
• Extend the heirloom apple taste test into a version of Shelburne Farms’ Posy Poetry activity
• Ask students to invent a variety of apple – they will name it, describe why it’s worth
growing (e.g., it tastes a little like strawberries, it lasts a long time, it is a beautiful pink
color), and make an illustration of their imaginary apple variety
• Plan a field trip to an apple orchard

CLOSINGS
AcKNOWLEDGeMENTS
The following people contributed to developing this lesson plan: Chloe Powell, Aurora Coon,
Cat Buxton, Karen Ganey and Kaitlin Haskins.

APPENDIX SEE WORKSHEETS THAT FOLLOW

© Vermont Harvest of the Month | www.vermontharvestofthemonth.org
Activity #2

© Vermont Harvest of the Month | www.vermontharvestofthemonth.org

Activity #2

© Vermont Harvest of the Month | www.vermontharvestofthemonth.org

Activity #3

© Vermont Harvest of the Month | www.vermontharvestofthemonth.org

CREATING AN APPLE TIMELINE Activity #6
Not everyone agrees where apples first came from, but most scientists think it was
somewhere in Central Asia, in a mountain range called the Dzungarian Alps. These
mountains separate the countries that are now known as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and China.
#1: On your map, color red the area where Kazakhstan, Dyrgyzstan, and China meet.

By 1500 BC, there are records showing the sale of apples in Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia
is an ancient civilization that no longer exists. What used to be Mesopotamia is now the
countries of Iraq, Kuwait, Iran, Syria, and Turkey.
#2: On your map, shade in yellow the countries of Iraq, Kuwait, Iran, Syria, and Turkey to
show where Mesopotamia was. Then, draw an arrow from the area you shaded red to the
area you shaded yellow.

In 1300 BC, an Egyptian pharaoh ordered apples to be grown around the Nile River.
#3: On your map, shade in Egypt as blue.

By 328 BC, Alexander the Great, the king of Macedonia, brought apples from Kazakhstan
to his kingdom in Macedonia. Macedonia is still a country today but is smaller than when
Alexander the Great ruled it.
#4: On your map, shade in orange the country of Macedonia and also the top Northern part
of Greece to show Alexander the Great’s huge kingdom. Next, draw an arrow from where
you shaded red to Macedonia to show how the apples travelled.

By 100 AD, apples had spread throughout Europe, as far North as Germany!
#5: On your map, shade Europe in green as far North as Germany.

Apples finally came to North America in 1625 when the first colonists from Europe came over.
The first apple orchards were planted in Boston.
#6: On your map, draw a star where Boston is to show the first apple in North America. Then,
draw an arrow from Europe to Boston to show how apples traveled over the ocean to get to
America.

Johnny Appleseed was a real historical figure, a man named John Chapman who planted
nurseries as he travelled through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Northern Virginia
starting in the 1790s.
#7: Draw a path between these states.

Today the largest producers of Apples are China, the United States, and Turkey.
#8: Label these countries.

© Vermont Harvest of the Month | www.vermontharvestofthemonth.org

 Activity #6
THIS MONTH’S FOOD:

© Vermont Harvest of the Month | www.vermontharvestofthemonth.org

Activity #7