the apple tree preschool lesson plans

"way up high in the apple tree
3 red apples smiled down at me
so i shook that tree as hard as i could
and down came an apple
it was mmmm, mmmmm good!"

room interactions/theme enhancement

'the tree'
cut one peice of posterboard into a "trunk" strip, long ways
cut another peice just around the outside of the poster board to give a simple 'treetop' shape.
use a medium size apple stencil to make apples,(posterbaord) and cut them out.

during a creative time with your group, put the trunk and treetop on the table and let the children paint it as a group. this is also a good time to let them paint their own apple.
when the paint dries ,contac cover all the peices (or laminate if possible) and attach velcro tabs to the tree and apple backs. with a dry erase marker write the childrens names on the apples. attatch the trunk to the treetop- (i also suggest using velcro strips for this, easy to adjust the height of the tree for your group, and easier to store later)

'the orchard' you can make these with colored paper, or have the children paint or color them...

cut a sheet of green construction paper in half, long ways , trim the bottom as a 'treetop'... punch 3 holes into the bottom trim- tie red apples on (paper made ) make the apple yellows, greens and red....
hang them from the ceiling in the room, and you have an apple orchard... watch your head!

class display- "the apples of our eyes" .. 'welcome to the apple orchard' put up pictures of the children doing the activities,and a variety of orchard artwork...

in the reading area, hang pictures of the different ways apples are used, pies, juice ,applesauce....

apple baskets
small bags of plastic apples are sold inexpensively at hobby or craft stores, buy several- (packs of 10 if possible, have 3-5 apples per child) place them in baskets around in centers..(adding to 'home play' , blocks, cars n trucks, can be a fun addition to imaginary play- and you can use them for many activities and games)

ON TO THE FUN STUFF!!!!

reading/launguage

fill your reading area with apple books, pictures and accessories.. (we once hung a green sheet over our book nook to create the feel of sitting under a tree-and attached plastic apples w string and saftey pins)

create a book
you can use poster board or an old board book- turn the song into a story!
the one i made is interactive, the kids can detach apples from the pages (more velcro),shake the tree (a brad pin) slide an apple up and down on a popsicle stick, and place the detached apples onto the tummy.
(i suggest making one interactive for group time, and several 'plain' for the book shelves)
if you use an old board book- glue paper over the pages, and using the now-blank book create your own. contac cover the pages, they will last longer.(and clean easier!)

felt board
create the story on felt, you'll need a tree, 3-5 apples, a child or person... the kids can use this individually or at group time... (again i suggest more than one set)

name recognition

as you read or fingerplay the story at group time change the song to fit the kids names "two red apples smiled town at micheal" have micheal get up and 'shake' his name apple down from the group created tree.

you can also use this tree to 'count'- for example, everyone takes their apple down, and goes to wash hands before lunch. when they are done, they put the apple back up. take them down when you go outside, and up when you come in... (please don't depend on this for head counts- you'll have some who will 'pocket' their apples, or carry them all day-just makes a menial task a little more fun)

sensory/discovery

accessorise a sand play table with plastic worms and apples...

fill a water bottle with dried apple seeds and hot glue the cap for looking and shaking

collect leaves, and if possible an apple tree branch with blossoms on it..

what is that?

use a small colored plastic bin or bowl... each day at group time put a new item in the bin, have children put their hand in without looking and try to guess what they are feeling. use tree leaves, the blossoms, small branches, an apple, and oh what a reaction when they put their fingers into applesauce!!

have an apple a day- taste different color apples, sauces, pie, juices.... be careful w the little ones tho- :l some of the diaper clad tots may ...need extra diapers and changes of clothes. :s a fun addition is to have apple jacks- ask if it tastes like apple. hmmm.

put an apple core out and have the children watch the changes as it browns

group games/movement

seperate the group into two 'teams'. one team stands looking at a wall while the other team hides plastic apples. (count them!) team two has to find all the apples. the apple baskets placed around the room (above)are great for this. its fun inside and outside, and in the end everyone ends up looking for the apples that weren't found!

apple toss
gently tossing the apples into the baskets. remind children not to throw them hard, 'because apples bruise'!

musical apples

use apple pillows (in creativity) or posterboard cut apple shapes on the floor- the children walk along while the music plays- when it stops everyone has to find an apple to stand on. (if you do this with tots, i suggest instead of removing an apple at the end of each round, send them to walk at the 'treetop' where they can do the same there.)

pretend you are a tree, and sway in the breeze, or be the apple that falls to the floor. you cam even be the worm who wiggles thru the apple for a snack! (if you have a crawling tunnel or a large box use it as an 'apple')

use full body motions to act out the song

creativity / art

spongepaint apple shapes : trim the corners and a stem top from a sponge and set out yellow green and red, to paint their own orchard.

thick strips of yarn can also be used for those hungry little worms- dipped into the paint and dragged across the paper.

apple painting using a large container (like a utz pretzel barrel) round if possible, or a plastic bin- with LID- place a peice of paper inside and dip a plastic apple in paint, drop in into the container close the lid and let child shake it silly. when the paper comes out the patterns are really neat.
(another way to do this is to tape paper into the bottom of a soda box-the tray type- and roll the apple around the box)

stamps apple ,tree, worm stamps, or you can make these with apples or potatoes..

bingo dobbers: make worms ,trees ,apples!

fingerpaint use whole hands to paint green appletops, and fingerprints for apples falling trom the trees, or blossoms. don't forget the worms!

painting the class tree, apples and 'orchard'

pillows (this takes alot of prep- so if you don't have a sewing machine have lots of time and able friends.)
for apples- cut felt peices large enough to sit on- sew two together around the outside- leave a hole for stuffing!! turn it inside out- the children can help stuff them, then you stitch it closed .. you can also use green pillowcases for treetops,on bought pillows...(the felt pillows are fun bc you can also use them with the felt board peices, the musical apples, to sit on for any group time....)

concept learning

lacing cards use posterboard to make simple apple and worm shapes, put holes around the outside, tie a shoelace to the top. make sure the holes are big enough for the shoelace. (you can make your shoelace green, tell the kids to help the worm find his way in and out of the apple holes)

matching

apples to worms- simple file folder game- yellow green red, apples and worms, for some more fun with it ,cut a slit onto the apple so the children can put the worm into the right apple.or use velcro or tape....for older groups use letters ,numbers or words to match the pairs.(you can use dry erase markers on laminated or contac covered peices to change the letters or numbers)

make a worm shaped cutout, and put apples of different colors along the body length, and of course, the matching apples or worms to place on them.

puzzles apples ,baskets, worms, trees, leaves.... again this can be done simply on file folders- cut the peices to the age appropriate level for your group.

count and sort different shapes and colors of apples and worms...


pics coming soon.

here are the pics...

the book was made with die cut patterns

cover
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"way up high in the apple tree(slide finger up tree trunk).....6 red apples smile down at me" (apples on velcro strips to remove as repeated)
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"so i shook that tree as hard as i could (the tree is attached by a brad , backside safely kept between the two pages. -shake the tree)....down came an apple"( the apple is attached again inside the page on a slide, to a pop stick- down came the apple- slide it down)
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"it was mmm- mmm good! " (you can place the apples from "smiling" here as you go,to count how many apples you ate)


lacing cards
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color matching puzzle/ game
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puzzles
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worm/apple match
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**the file folder games and activity patters came from "teacher created materials"

i'm not sure why i don't have a pic of the tree handy, but will get one in as soon as possible