Read Dr. Seuss's "Ten Apples Up On Top!" to your class at circle time and talk about the story. Ask your students how many of them think that they can really balance 10 apples on their head and let them know that they will get a chance to try with paper apples. Then share your "Ten Apples Up On Top!" art model.
For the art activity you will need to use a die cut machine to make ten 1-inch paper apples for each student. You will also need to take a photo of the shoulders and head of each student and make copies of the text " [student's name] has 10 apples up on top!" for each student. Then fold construction paper sheets vertically into three sections and cut the sheets. Each student will also need a glue stick for this activity. They will write their names and glue the phrase at the top of their paper; they will then glue their photo at the bottom and glue ten apples on the head of their photo. Let the papers dry; they can then be place on the "Ten Apples Up On Top!" bulletin board along with additional paper apples and the dust cover of the book.
To prepare for the "Five Little Apples" activity, copy and print out enough worksheets for your students and yourself. Cut out all of the "Five Little Apples" objects on your worksheet. Glue pieces of felt to the back of each item (apples, tree, worm, chant words) so that they will stick to the flannel board. Have your students sit in a circle around the flannel board and place the tree on the flannel board with the words of the chant beneath it. Place the apples around the outside of the tree. Then begin the "Five Little Apples" chant:
Five little apples sitting in a tree, (Point to the apples.)
Teasing Mr. Slinky Worm, (Wag your finger at Mr. Slinky Worm.)
"You can't eat me, no you can't eat me."
Along came Mr. Slinky Worm as quiet as could be (Place Mr. Slinky Worm on one apple.)
And he ate one apple as quick as can be! (Take the apple off of the flannel board.)
Continue the subtraction chant until all the apples are gone.
Let your students sit at their desk and get out scissors and glue sticks. Give them their worksheets and a sheet of construction paper and have them cut out the apples, tree, worm and the chant and glue them onto the construction paper. (You can put your apples back on the flannel board and let the students use it as a model for their art project.) Next, have them write their names on their completed activities and let them dry. This will be a great project to display on your literacy bulletin board.
Prepare your "My Favorite Apple" chart by using a marker to write the title at the top of a large sheet of poster board. Then use the marker and a yardstick to draw two vertical lines making three equal sections on the chart. Glue a red paper apple at the top of the first section, a green paper apple at the top of the second section and a yellow paper apple for the third section. Attach the poster with two-sided tape to a place in front of the classroom that is low enough for your students to write their names on the chart.
You will need four or five of the yellow Delicious apples, four or five of the red Delicious apples and four or five of the green Granny Smith apples for this activity. Cut each of the apples into six sections making sure to cut out the seeds. Have your students wash their hands and sit. Give them a paper plate with one of each variety of apple and a napkin. Encourage them to try at least one bite of each apple, then they can go up and sign their name on the chart under their favorite color apple. When all the students have signed their name under their favorite variety, ask these questions and write the answers on the board:
Which apple did the most students like? How many students liked that apple?
Which apple did the least number of students like? How many students liked that apple?
How many more students liked the most popular apple than the least popular?
(You can help your students answer this question by writing a math problem or by bringing the students up and comparing the number in each group.)
Finally, in their writing journals, have your students draw a picture of themselves eating their favorite apple and then let them write a paragraph about how the apple tasted. (Write the words "sweet" and "sour" on the board.)
Have your class sit on the rug and read your completed copy of "How Many Apples?" Let the students count the number of apples on each page, and show them how you wrote down the number of apples for each page, then colored the pictures. Give each of your students their own "How Many Apples?" printable book. Next, have them go to their desks, get out their crayons and pencils and count and write down the number of apples on each page, then color the apples. When their printable books are complete, let your students read to their reading partners.