1-2-3 Come Do Some Apple-icious Activities With Me 

Studying apples is a great way to plug in some science and interesting math activities into your day.

Today's blog features 3 of my newest apple packets that are a quick, easy and fun way to do that.

First up is Apple Fraction Action. 

I had a request for some easy fraction activities for kinders, so I thought I'd use apples because you can easily cut them in half and then quarters to show children. An apple pie is also a perfect example of this math concept.   

The packet includes:
* games

* worksheets, which can also double as whole-group assessments

* 4 craftivities
* lots of posters plus . . .

* puzzles
* graphing activities

* pocket chart cards
* 2 emergent reader flip booklets and...

* 2 “Itty Bitty Fraction Action” booklets, all with an apple or apple pie theme.

Use the numerous sets of (12-on-a-page) apple & apple pie cards, for explaining, sorting, sequencing and playing games like Memory Match and “I Have; Who Has?”

The bulk of the packet reinforces whole, half and quarter fractions; however, there are a few items which also include higher fraction options (up to 8ths & 12ths) to challenge students and add diversity.

Next up apple-themed "Fix the Sentence" cards.

These 39, pocket chart-sized cards, are a quick, easy and fun way to review a variety of apple related facts, while practicing capitalization and end punctuation.

Read the cards together as a whole group to practice a lot of sight words. This activity not only helps improve students writing (proofing & editing) skills, but recognizing those Dolch sight words as well.

Choose a student to come up and using a dry erase marker, circle letters that should be capitalized and then add end punctuation. (period, question mark & exclamation point).  You can do this on a whiteboard, with a pocket chart, or pass a card out to each child to correct.

For more practice, as an individual activity, have students choose X number of mini cards and rewrite the sentences correctly on the worksheet provided.  I've included 2 sizes of mini "fix the sentence" cards for this, which makes a nice Daily 5 word work activity too. 

Finally, my simple and fun Apple Investigation packet covers a variety of math standards (particularly measurement), with a splash of science, as children use all 5 senses to learn about apples and record their findings.

To make this easy-peasy, I’ve purposely set up the 9, “print & go” pages of the booklet, so that they act as a single worksheet for that particular skill/standard/vocabulary, which students can do independently, with a partner, in small groups, or as a whole group.

For beginning or non-readers, complete each page as a whole group as a “monkey see-monkey do” activity.

Teacher reads the sentence of a numbered activity, demonstrates it, then pauses for students to complete the task with their apple, and record that information in their workbook.

To use with preschoolers, have one investigation booklet, which you work on together using one or two apples, then call on children to participate, as you investigate and do the activities on each page.

I’ve included a KWL to introduce the lesson.  There’s a template in black & white for students to fill out, as well as one in color to use as a whole group to list your findings.

The booklet is a great way to teach a variety of measurement vocabulary and how to find out height, weight, width, circumference, as well as the tools used to do that. (ruler, scale, measuring tape), along with non-standard units of measurement (blocks & apples).

Children use guess-timation while analyzing their apple, then investigate to find the result, then compare their guess with the correct answer, using more math vocabulary (equals, less than & greater than).

They also use observation & comparison techniques as they study the outside as well as the inside of their apple.
Students trace and write vocabulary-building words, predict, answer questions, + collect & analyze data.

Grab that teachable science moment, to discuss the 5 senses, as students use all of them while completing their apple investigations.

The “pick a partner” and find out "how many apples tall" you are, as well as the “Does my apple sink or float?” are 2 of my students’ favorite activities.

Finally, there are 5 whole-group graphing extensions for more math practice, which you can do after children finish their booklet.
I've also included a mini-certificate of praise children glue to the back of their cover. 

"I Spy a . . ."   is today's featured FREEBIE, which also has an apple theme. 

Teach, review, practice and whole-group assess with these game sheets. 

The packet includes worksheet-games for uppercase letters, lowercase letters, shapes, numbers 0-10, numbers 0-20, plus a blank template to fill in with higher numbers. 

Students enjoy playing the game and you can see at a glance who is having difficulty. 

Well that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by.

Fall is in the air here in Michigan, and I've really been enjoying the cooler, sweater weather.  Wishing you a fun-filled day. 

 "Use your imagination to not scare yourself to death, but to  inspire yourself to life." - Adele Brookman

1-2-3 Come Do Some Apple Activities With Me

Studying about apples is one of my favorite teaching units, partly because I can teach every subject area using them. 

My newest apple packet practices colors, color words and counting, in quick, easy and super-fun ways, with lots of variety & options.

The activities are great for independent centers or done as a whole group; and can also be used for a sub tub, and early finishers.

There are over 20, different sets of (12-on-a-page) apple cards, which your students will enjoy playing with, as they learn and reinforce a variety of standards.

There are apples of all colors, apples with faces, patterned apples with polka dots, chevrons, plaids & stripes, as well as animal prints & other crazy kinds of apples.

Students can use these cards for sorting, sequencing, graphing, counting, making groups/sets, showing equations, and playing games.

What a time saver! Choose your favorites; make your activities and use them throughout the year every year. Woo Hoo!

Games:
* “What’s Missing?” White board game
* “What’s Missing?” On the floor “flip” game.
* “Not All Rotten Apples Are Bad” board game.

* “Fill The Bushel Basket” Spinner/Dice game
* “Pick & Place” Apple Tree Game (Colors & Numbers 1-30)
* Puzzling Apples (red, yellow & green)

* “Stack 'em Up” dice patterning game
* “Roll, Color & Graph” dice game
* “Kaboom!” and a ...
* 1-to-1 correspondence counting game

Plus you can use any of the apple cards to play:
* Memory Match
* "I Have; Who Has?” and
* "Who’s Got The Rotten Apple?" (Played like Old Maid) or other card games like Crazy Eights and Go Fish.

I’ve designed the games so that you can mix & match and interchange pieces & posters, so that you can make up more of your own games.

Some of the games can be played with the Johnny Appleseed spinners or using dice.

The packet also includes:
* 12 sets of colorful mini apple tiles (with 70 on a page): red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, white, black, brown, and gray, plus a wormy apple template too.

Use for the games, as well as counting, sorting, patterning, & making equations.

* Colorful, apple pocket chart cards.  Make an extra set and cut them in half to make puzzles.
* A "Crazy Colors!” apple emergent reader flip booklet, chock full of Dolch sight words.

* Several color and color word assessment activities
* An “Itty Bitty” (color, trace & write) apple-color booklet, plus a blank template.
* 4 graphing activities

* 3 worksheets
* A set of color word cards in matching colors as well as BW.
* 21, "Johnny Appleseed-bushel basket" sorting mats

* 9, “Bob For Apples” bucket sorting mats, for practicing colors and counting to 20.
* A set of math symbol cards for making & solving equations (addition +, subtraction -, equal to =, plus greater > and less than <) with a recording worksheet for more practice.

* 15, “Complete the Pattern”, strip cards, with a blank template so that children can create their own pattern strips. And finally …

* 2 certificates of praise (4-on-a-page for easy printing).

To accommodate other countries, alternate grEy and coloUr spellings are also included.

I have 2 featured FREEBIES today. Both are from this whopping, 162-page packet. 

The first one is the "Stack 'Em Up" patterning dice game, which reinforces the 3 colors of apples, colors, color words, as well as an ABC-ABC pattern.

The next one is the 1-to-1 apple correspondence cards.

Well that's it for today.  I hope you're enjoying your summer and looking forward to getting things decorated and ready for back to school.

Time to get some fresh air as the sunshine is calling me. Wishing you a relaxing and fun-filled day.

"A word fitly spoken, is like apples of gold in settings of silver." -Proverbs: 29:11

1-2-3 Play An Apple Game With Me

Games grab your students' attention and keep them focused, while they learn a variety of life skills and standards.  I enjoy dreaming them up, many based on old favorites with a twist, to help reinforce different concepts.

Apples were a favorite unit for September, so I wanted to whip together a quick and easy game with that theme. To make the "Spiral To The Orchard" apple game, print, laminate and trim the game board template and apple playing pieces.  I "test run" everything I do, and bless my husband's heart, he plays the games with me.  It was his idea to include a simpler version for younger kiddo's, as well as the bit more complicated set of directions, for 1st or 2nd graders.

Briefly, the simple version is played like this:  The object of the game is to get to the apple orchard in the center of the board.  Children play in groups of 3.  Each child picks a different colored apple: red, yellow or green.  Students take turns rolling a die and moving that many spaces forward.

If children land on a rotten apple, apple core, or apple with a worm, they move backwards 2 spaces.  If they land on a pretty red apple, or apple basket, they move ahead 2 spaces.   I switch things up in the more complicated version for 1st or 2nd graders, as they can change places with an opponent, or are sent back to start, along with other "pit falls" that are a bit too complicated for younger students to remember.  Older students also have to roll an exact number to get to the orchard. i.e. As students near the orchard, if there is only 1 space left, they must roll a 2 to get into the orchard and win the game.   A roll of 1 lands them on the last square, which is the entrance.  Any roll other than a 2 is too many.

Click on the link to view/download the Apple Game.  Thanks for visiting today.  As always, feel free to PIN anything from my site.  To ensure that "pinners" return to THIS blog article, click on the green title at the top; it will turn black; now click on the "Pin it" button located at the top on the menu bar.  If you'd like to take a look at all of the terrific educational things, that I spend way too much time pinning, click on the heart button to your right.

If you're looking for more FALL FREEBIES, click on the link to zip on over to my teacher-friend Charity's blog, over at Classroom Freebies.  She had a wonderful link-up. To make things super-easy, she grouped the free items according to grade levels.  Enjoy and Happy September!

"A river cuts through a rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence." -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Count Apples With Me

Bingo daubers were always part of our daily centers.  My students LOVED dotting patterns, answers, and pictures with them.  With that in mind, I designed the Apples On My Tree Counting Booklet.

Students trace and write the number word and then find it in the sequence and circle it.  They also slash that many tally marks and dot that many apples on the tree with a bingo dauber.  I have red, yellow and lime green colors available, to review that science fact.

The last page ends with 10 apples and also asks children to daub an apple on the final tree, for each year that they are old. When everyone has completed their booklet, read it as a whole group to reinforce concepts of print.

Click on the link to view/download the Apples On My Tree Counting Booklet.  If you're looking for more apple activities, click on the link to zip on over to that section of my site.  Scroll down and choose whatever items you want by clicking on the download buttons.

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN anything from my site.  To ensure that "pinners" return to THIS blog article, click on the green title at the top; it will turn black; now click on the "Pin it" button, also located at the top.  If you'd like to take a look at all of the creative things (mostly educational) that I spend way too much time pinning, simply click on the big heart to the right. I have a separate board of just apple activities.

"Creativity is so delicate a flower that praise tends to make it bloom, while discouragement, often nips it in the bud.  Any of us will put out more and better ideas if our efforts are appreciated." -Alex E. Osborn

1-2-3 Come Play An Apple Game With Me!

When I design a game for my kiddo's, I try to involve a variety of standards, so that I'm really making great use of time.  Using dice to play games, helps students subitize (pretty soon they are able to recognize that 5 spots = the number five, without having to count the dots).

Besides subitizing, Apples On A Roll helps students with number recognition, putting together a puzzle, 1-to-1 correspondence, basic life skills of getting along with others, and waiting your turn etc.  By running off the apples on red, yellow and green construction paper, you can also review that science fact.

Print off the apple template on white construction paper, laminiate and trim; and then print out the apple "puzzle pieces" on the various colors, laminate and cut the individual numbered pieces.  I keep each puzzle in a separate Baggie, and then put all of the smaller Baggies into one large one.

Children choose a partner and take turns rolling the dice.  Whatever number they land on, they put that piece on their apple puzzle template.  The first one to complete their apple, or the one with the most pieces on their apple when the timer rings, is the winner.

If you'd like to throw in some addition practice, add black lines to make 6 more "slices".  Write in numbers 7-12.  Children now use a pair of dice and add numbers together, placing the higher numbered puzzle pieces on their apple.

Click on the link to view/download the Apple Puzzle Game.

Thanks for visiting.  Feel free to PIN anything from my site.  To ensure that other pinners get to THIS blog article, click on the green title at the top.  It will then turn black; now click the "Pin it" button ot the top.  No more checking out a pin only to land on a different blog article, and then having to search for the one in the photo.  If you'd like to see all of the creative educational ideas that I spend way too much time pinning, click on the "Follow me!" heart on the right.

I blog every day, so I hope you can pop back tomorrow for more apple freebies.

"The future belongs to those who believe in the bearty of their dreams."  -Eleanor Roosevelt