All About Apples in Pre-K

On September 17, all three pre-k classes visited Bell’s Orchard. The students learned about the different types of apples and the proper way to pick fruits from the orchardists before going apple picking.

The fun with apples didn’t stop when the students returned to school. Over the next two weeks, the teachers incorporated “pommes” into their lessons. They picked so many apples with the intention of doing various activities with their classes. 

The pre-k students picked gala and fuji apples, so one of the first activities was tasting each type of apple and comparing the taste and texture. The classes used their apples to make apple cake or pie, apple sauce, apple butter, and apple juice. The students learned about an apple peeler and how the tool makes cooking with apples easier. 

The lessons also extended beyond cooking and baking. They learned about their five senses and applied them to the apples and activities using the apples. The students cut all of the apples used for baking, working on their fine motor skills. They used the apples for math activities and sequencing. Each of the recipes also included math, motor skills, and working on collaboration.

Students read stories and poems about apples, danced to apple folk songs, and created art incorporating apples. The interdisciplinary approach to learning, coupled with the creativity of our teachers, allows for the learning from one field trip to extend into the classroom and continue to enrich our students’ experience. It’s just the start of the learning and growth in pre-k this year.