Fun Life Cycle of an Apple Tree With Free Printable Activity
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Life Cycle of an apple!!!
It’s apple season, and it is the perfect time to talk about the life cycle of an apple! We are diving into an exciting reading comprehension lesson about the life cycle of an apple tree using the fantastic book How Do Apples Grow by Betsy Maestro.
Let’s talk about different ways and ideas we can teach about the different stages of the apple tree life cycle and the different parts of an apple. This book is a perfect way to introduce students to informational texts.
I am excited to share a few new apple activities you can use in your classroom.
How Do Apples Grow? Book Summary
How Do Apples Grow is an engaging children’s book that takes young readers on a journey through the fascinating life cycle of an apple. It is beautifully illustrated, and this book is a perfect resource for kindergarteners and first graders.
It is an excellent book for your apple theme!
The book takes the reader through the seasons and how apples develop over time.
From the blossoms on the apple tree to the development of fruit, readers learn about the essential role of bees in pollination, the changing seasons, and the care that apple trees require.
I love the illustrations that show the formation of the apple core and how you can still see the dried sepals left from the flower on a mature apple!
If your kindergarten or first-grade students bring in their own apples, they will absolutely make a connection! You will also see the apple seeds and parts of the apple in the illustrations throughout this book.
There is also a list of the various types of apples: Red Delicious, McIntosh, Golden Delicious, and Granny Smith! [This book was written in 1992, so there isn’t mention of my favorite apple, the Honeycrisp apple. You can learn more about these juicy apples and how this new apple tree was developed in a video I have linked toward the end of this blog post.]
How Do Apples Grow? by Betsy Maestro is packed with information. A word to the wise: there is a section on female parts and male parts of an apple blossom… so in the plant or natural world… this book is a racy read! Oh-la-la!
The illustrations are beautiful, and we use these images to help label the parts of an apple blossom.
Life Cycle of an Apple Reading Comprehension
An interactive read-aloud involves reading a book multiple times. In this approach, the teacher takes the lead in decoding the text. At the same time, students engage in meaningful discussions through thought-provoking questions, allowing them to form a more profound connection with the story. We love it when we can include science lessons with reading! Double duty!
Life Cycle of an Apple Tree Schema Activity
In reading comprehension, a schema is the mental framework of prior knowledge and experiences that readers bring to a text. This schema acts as a scaffold for new information.
Teachers and parents use schema by tapping into this prior knowledge. Questions like “What do you know about apples and apple trees?” help young readers connect with the text.
Schema isn’t static; it evolves with each reading experience, growing richer. As children encounter more information about the apples, their schema deepens, enabling them to make connections, infer meanings, and engage with texts on a deeper level.
In essence, schema is the key to comprehension. It helps readers navigate and interpret text effectively, propelling young minds into the world of reading.
Learning About the Life Cycle of an Apple
The next day, we will look at an apple tree’s life cycle.
The whole classroom works together to complete this chart with the various stages of the apple tree.
Apple Life Cycle Craft
This little apple craft is multi-purpose!
- fine motor skills
- recalling text details
- oral language
- student center activity
Students will create their own life cycle wheel by placing the images in the correct order.
Then, they can sit with their partner to practice discussing the apple life cycle.
These life cycle wheels create a great oral language activity and a fun way for young children to work together.
Apple Life Cycle Digital File
We have also included a digital version of the life cycle that students can practice during center time. You can see the apple grow through different stages. From a tiny seed to a young tree and eventually into an apple-producing tree.
They can always revisit the book if they need to.
Informational Text Writing About Apples
Next, students will do some informational text writing!
We start with this supportive apple anchor chart.
Then, students work on their own books!
Students are labeling the parts of an apple blossom.
We also practice some sentence structure work and add that to our books.
Students learn that the outer wall of the ovary becomes a seed compartment. Then, the fleshy white part of the apple develops around it.
You can find all of these reading comprehension and book activities in our Engaging Readers Reading Comprehension unit:
videos about apples
You may want to include a few videos in your apple life cycle unit.
This was the video I mentioned earlier about Honeycrisp apples..
If you are not in one of the apple-growing states, you may be unable to go on a field trip to a local apple orchard. This virtual field trip is a great way to experience these fruit trees!
Apple Pie Snack
This looks amazing and would be a fun way to wrap up your week!
You can find all the details on how to make these by clicking:
Johnny Appleseed Poem
A week of learning about apples would not be complete without a little poem about Johnny Appleseed!
You can find this fun song by clicking:
Free Apple Printable Activity
Get this FREE Johnny Appleseed Sentence and more! Add your name to the box below!
I hope you found a fun activity or two to add to your apple unit of study! I have another blog post you may link for your apple week.
How about pumpkin ?
Free Editable Lesson Plan Template
Would you like to download this free lesson plan template? Click on the lesson plan image below to download this file from my Google Drive… EASY!
More Lesson Planning Ideas
Do you want to see a whole year of lesson plans like this one?
I’ve got you! Click this link to explore posts and the post catalog!
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Deedee Wills
My teaching career allowed me to experience teaching in different classroom environments and grades. My heart belongs to early childhood education. My job is to make teaching FUN, ENGAGING, and EASIER. Welcome!
Hi, I'm DeedeE.
My teaching career allowed me to experience teaching in different classroom environments and grades. My heart belongs to early childhood education. My job is to make teaching FUN, ENGAGING, and EASIER. Welcome!
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