Title of Learning Experience: Watching Apples Grow
Author: Karen L. Miller
Source: Scholastic: Apples, Pumpkins and Harvest 1998
This learning experience addresses Learning Standard MST #4. Students will be able to explain the importance of each season to the life cycle of an apple tree. Students collaborate to create a four-season display that illustrates the life cycle of an apple tree and write descriptions of each season. Students need to have knowledge about the life cycle and understand that trees have life cycles, too.
Invite students to share what they know about the life cycle of an apple tree. Use a black marker to draw four identical tree trunks on four pieces of craft paper. Label them Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer. Divide children into four groups (assigning each group a season) and give them a tree trunk. Ask: "What changes happen to an apple tree during that season?" Review changes to an apple tree. Have students in each group decorate the tree to represent their assigned season (see below).
Winter: Use black marker and brown crayons to extend the trunk into bare branches. Paint branches with watered down mixture of water and white glue. Sprinkle with salt to create a wintry look.
Spring: Dip an index finger in green tempra paint and make tiny leaf buds on the branches. When paint dries, pinch pink tissue paper or use a pink crayon to make blossoms on tree.
Summer: Dip hands in green tempra paint and make handprints on the branches to represent broad summer leaves. Cut out small green apples and paste them on the tree.
Fall: Dip hands in yellow tempra paint and create handprints to represent changing autumn leaves. Then cut out red apples to glue on the tree.
During Language Arts have children write informative captions to go with each season.
Students will work cooperatively in groups of 5-7. Utilize parent volunteers and support staff to allow for individualized attention and assistance to each group. Groups can publish their writing on the computer (Children's Writing and Creativity Center or Microsoft Works).
Students will be reading non-fiction books on life cycles during language arts. Using the big book Apples and Pumpkins should take approximately a week. This learning experience can be done during that week. Writing can be incorporated into language arts as well. Students should have been exposed to life cycles prior to this experience. A rubric will be used for scoring (see below).
Utilize parent volunteers and support staff. Materials needed include: craft paper, markers, crayons, water, glue, salt, tempra paint (green and yellow), pink tissue paper (optional), construction paper (red and green), and scissors.
Student work will be scored using the following rubric:
Apple tree display:
A. 1. A clear, detailed picture showing all of the characteristics of the apple tree during the assigned season.
B 1. A fairly clear picture showing some of the appropriate characteristics of the apple tree during the assigned season.
C. 1. A picture representing few of the appropriate characteristics of the apple tree during the assigned season.
D. 1. A picture with minimal effort lacking appropriate characteristics of the apple tree during the assigned season.
2. A written explanation with minimal effort.
Student work will be brought to peer review. Photos can be submitted electronically using a digital camera if necessary.
The students enjoyed this cooperative group activity. It is a hands-on lesson integrating language arts, science, and art. Numerous teachers have commented on the apple tree display. Students were able to share their unique talents/strengths with their group.