Teach students about how apples grow. Share a short story with students about how apples grow on a tree. Next, cut out five squares from card stock. On the first, draw a tree with pink blossoms. On the second, draw a tree with tiny green apples instead of blossoms. On the third, draw larger green apples. On the fourth, draw red apples, and on the fifth, draw an apple being eaten. Laminate the cards, and then ask students to put them in order.
Show your students how to make healthy snacks with apples. Cut apples into slices, leaving the peels. Give students small bowls of peanut butter. Invite students to spread peanut butter over the apple slices, and then stack them one on top of the other to make an apple tower. Alternatively, use cheddar cheese slices instead of peanut butter. As students eat, discuss why fruits like apples are important for good nutrition.
Bring in a variety of apples, including some that are sweet and tart; bring in enough apples so that each student can taste. Separate apples by type and write the apple type on an index card. Provide students with a worksheet labelled with each apple type and space to write observations about each apple, including color, taste and number of seeds. Let students touch and smell each apple, and write down what they observe. Next, cut apples open and let students count how many seeds are inside. Cut a piece for each student to taste. At the end of the activity, let students tell the class which apple was their favorite.
Teach your students about foods and drinks made from apples. During circle time, discuss the different ways students like to eat apples; this may include raw, in apple pie, baked, fried or as juice or hot cider. Ask parents to bring in different apple dishes to share with the class, and have an apple celebration.