Apples By: Courtney Cook LTEC 4100 Dr. Knezek
Student Outcomes The students will be able to: identify apples and describe their characteristics, such as color, shape, size, and flavor compare and contrast apples to other fruits based on their characteristics express the life cycle of apples (grow from a seed, ripen, and create other apple trees with their seeds) recognize that certain foods, such as apple juice and applesauce, are made from apples apply the theme of apples to all other content areas during lessons to work on subject skills
Essential Questions Who can describe what an apple is (shape, color, and size)? What is inside of an apple? What do apples grow on? What are the parts of an apple tree? Have you ever eaten an apple? If so, how did it taste? How did it look and feel? What are some foods and drinks that we make from apples? What happens when you leave an apple out for too long?
Activities for Kindergarten Math Activities: Practice sorting apples by their characteristics (such as color, size, and shape). Work on constructing and continuing patterns using different colored apple cut-outs. Graph using apples (ie: What is your favorite color apple? or What is your favorite food or drink made from apples? ) Count the number of seeds inside an apple. Language Arts Activities: Read Johnny Appleseed. Write down important facts and important from the story a a class. Then, have the students write and illustrate a story about him. Give each student an apple and a piece of story paper. Have them write down characteristics of their apple and draw a picture. Have the students make as many words as they can from the word apple. Other Activities: Cut apples in half. Look at how the seeds are in a star formation. Dip in paint to make apple prints. Make applesauce in class from fresh apples.
TEKS for Activities 111.13. Social Studies, Kindergarten. K.5(b) Identify how the human characteristics of place, such as ways of earning a living, shelter, clothing, food, and activities are based upon geographic location. K.6(a) Identify basic human needs of food, clothing, and shelter. 111.14. Science, Kindergarten. K.9(b) Examine evidence that living organisms have basic needs such as food, water, and shelter for animals and air, water, nutrients, sunlight, and space for plants. K.10(a) Sort plants and animals into groups based on physical characteristics such as color, size, body covering, or leaf shape. K.10(b) Identify parts of plants, such as roots, stems, and leaves. K.10(d) Observe changes that are part of a simple life cycle of a plant: seed, seedling, plant, flower, and fruit.
TEKS for Activities 111.12. Mathematics, Kindergarten. (1) Within a well-balanced mathematics curriculum, the primary focal points at Kindergarten are developing whole-number concepts and using patterns and sorting to explore number, data, and shape. (8) Geometry and spatial reasoning. The student uses attributes to determine how objects are alike and different. The student is expected to: (A) describe and identify an object by its attributes using informal language; (B) compare two objects based on their attributes; and (C) sort a variety of objects including two- and three-dimensional geometric figures according to their attributes and describe how the objects are sorted. 110.11. English Language Arts and Reading, Kindergarten. (10) Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Expository Text. Students analyze, make inferences and draw conclusions about expository text, and provide evidence from text to support their understanding. Students are expected to: (B) retell important facts in a text, heard or read
Instruction Strategy As a teacher, I believe it is important to have a balance between constructivist learning and directed instruction. That way, the students are able to generate their own knowledge through self-led activities, but they will also receive necessary information from the teacher. I will try to keep this balance by teaching the class new concepts (directed instruction) and then allowing the students to work on individual follow-up activities (constructivist learning).
References Texas Education Agency. (2001) Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. Retrieved from http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=6148 on 9-17-2011.