Kids naturally love discovering the life cycle of anything! This week, we explored the life cycle of an apple. My students had so much fun investigating the Apple Life Cycle Unit.
I was able to completely integrate reading, math, science, and writing! I used many components of my Apple Life Cycle Unit that I have completely revamped, tested, and revised over and over! Let me tell you, I am so relieved this is finished and my firsties absolutely loved doing all of the activities. Be sure to click on any picture or the link to my store to learn more about all the fun stuff you can do with this unit.
To front load and access information on the Apple Life Cycle, I gave my kids a Mini-Book as our close read for the week. As we followed the Close Read procedures we have established in my room, I let them try a product of apples…Apple Pie!
The vocabulary cards were a great discussion and reference point throughout the week. They also helped to guide my little readers along with their close read!
In first grade, we are just focusing on basic grammar activities. At this point in the year, I have chosen to focus on nouns, verbs, common and proper nouns, and adjectives and adverbs. The students really liked being able to use words from the unit!
For Math, we continued to focus on composing and decomposing numbers using number bonds. I also had them do some skip counting, tallying, fractions, and patterning activities. I know that patterns are not in the math section of the Common Core, but I am a little old school and I believe there is much value when kids can recognize and continue a pattern.
For decomposing larger numbers in the teens, I showed the kids the dot pattern strategy. They really did well with this, and most kids applied this when doing number bonds on their own. For the rest, I let them use snap cubes if they needed them.
Not only did my kids have a great time finishing the patterns, I noticed a lot of them using that tier 3 vocabulary that went along with our Apple Life Cycle Unit.
To organize our thoughts and our writing, I made some graphic organizers to help my students solidify their learning. They really enjoyed being able to write down characteristics of apples while taste testing several types of apples.
We also made an Apple Life Cycle Book where we had to identify the different stages. At the end, I just punched a hole, and put a ring around the pages so the kids can easily flip through the stages of the Apple Life Cycle.
I just had to save the best for last! My favorite part! Interactive Journal Pages! My kids were beyond excited and so engaged in this activity. I have one for the apple life cycle, one for a “recipe” and one for apple vocabulary.
Just write the vocabulary words under the the flaps of the 8-Fold.
My kids labeled the Apple Life Cycle and wrote the stages of the Apple Life Cycle under the 4-Fold.
It was really nice to hang this beautiful printable of the Life Cycle of an Apple in my room. This really helped the students with their activities.
Be sure to click on the link to my store to download this FREE Apple Life Cycle Poster and Graphic Organizer for your kiddos when you teach Apples this fall!
I hope you liked reading about our week with our Apple Life Cycle Unit!
If you teach apple life cycle in September, and you need more September activities, be sure to check out my September Fluency Passages that are part of a growing bundle!
I also offer a Johnny Appleseed resource in my Teachers Pay Teachers store! Click here to learn more!
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