When you are teaching Pre-K through Kindergarten the possibilities are expanding bedtime stories, objects and topics into unit studies or an entire lesson are endless. All you need is creativity and imagination to make an apple a unit study on your own. Let’s take the example of an apple to show how this simple object can teach your child core curriculum.
Apples make a nice lesson for those who live near apple orchards. Apple orchards provide a fun field trip and hands on experience which little students crave. If you are making a trip to an apple orchard bring along art supplies for your child to sit under a tree and draw what she sees. If you can go apple picking, make your child aware of the different types of apples. Then you can compare and contrast how they look, their size, and how they taste. Of course, you need to go home and teach your child science and math through baking an apple pie with all the yummy apples you picked.
If you do not live near an apple orchard your local grocery store should provide several types of apples for your child to see. Buy a variety to bring home to compare and contrast colors and tastes. After you cut up all your apples to sample use them to bake a pie. Baking is a wonderful way to engage a child in life lessons, science and math. Have your child count how many apples are needed for the recipe, how many teaspoons of sugar or how many teaspoons of sugar make a tablespoon. Explain to your child how the pie is baked and how the crust turns from dough to flakey. Baking is a favorite among children of all ages.
Besides fun activities you can teach your child other lessons involving apples without purchasing more than the apples in your grocery bag. Here are some ideas:
*Use apples as counters.
*Use different colored apples to make patterns.
*Compare and contrast apples by size, taste and color.
*Apple starts with the letter “A”. Practice the vowel sound by having your child repeat it and find other “A” words.
*Have your child begin to practice writing the letter “A” or word “apple “on paper.
*Study the colors red, green, and yellow.
*Study how apple trees grow by doing an internet search or visiting an apple orchard. Cut the apple open to show your child the seeds.
*If you cut your apple in half the seeds form a star shape. Now you have a shape to study! Have your child practice drawing stars. You can also study the letter “S”. You may even want to expand this lesson to show your child stars outside at night.
*For art you can cut your apple and use it as a stamper with paint.
I am sure you can come up with even more creative and fun ideas to expand this lesson or any you encounter.
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