* We are working on the theme of apples this week ,and here are a few of
the things I am doing in my class:

Made homemade applesauce:
washed, peeled and quartered the apples
put the slices into a pan
added 1 cup of water (used about 6 apples)
1/2 tsp cinn.
2 tsps. sugar
brought it to a boil, then simmered for about 30 min.
when done let cool, then the children took turn mashing
is mushy applesauce but is yum, yum, yum !

sampled all different types of apples from all over (this is apple
country here in Washington St. !) also tried dipping them in some carmel
!

drank applejuice

and we are making a simple applepie on friday that only takes a few
ingredients and cooks in 30 minutes !

ART

*finger painting red onto apple shapes
*tissue paper red & green onto apple shapes
*torn paper (mosaic) red and green onto apple shape
*pasting a red apple shape with a green smaller shape inside with a
white smaller shape then putting apple seeds in the middle with green
leaves and brown stem.
*spin art (old record player) spin a paper plate on the record player
while the child holds
different colored markers on for a great look. Then cut small wave on
the top and bottom for an apple look, then they pasted green leaves and
brown stem in the middle !
*Cut out green trees and have children dip the fingers in red paint and
dot apples all over the tree.
*of course cutting the apple sideways for the star look inside, and
printing with them with red and green paint (even yellow)


*  I teach a class of 2 1/2 and 3 year olds. The projects we do for Apple
week are : Rip and tear the paper and glue on to an apple cutout. My
class project last 10 to 15 minutes tops with this age group.The apple
book we make consists of 3 pages, the rip and tear page, an apple tree
that they have to color in and put red ink thumbprints on and this year
they are coloring a pumpkin page. I also do apple prints on newsprint. I
cut the apples so you can see the star, we talk about what's in an
apple.I spread the paint and place paper towels on top. They use the
apple as a stamp.Then they use a green crayon to put leaves on the
apples. I have used many songs and fingerplays from this loop, my
children love them.
   Just remember to keep it simply and interesting.


* We used to go to the grocery store or a truck farm and buy one or two of
every single kind of apple they had. You would be surprised how many there
are! Then we would cut them into wedges on plates, keeping each apple on one
plate, and the kids would do a "tasting". We recorded the words they used,
even tho many of them revert to words like "yummy, yukky, mmmmm, yeck". But
we tried for words like sweet, sour, like a flower, cold like fresh snow,
that type of thing. We also had crackers to "clear the pallette (sp.)"
between apple slices. And water to rinse. it was very chic! (Do you believe
that?) 


*  Apple Fingerplay
 Way way up in the apple tree ( reaching up)
 Two little apples smiled at me ( two fists over head)
 I shook that tree as hard as I could (shake fists over head)
 Down came those apples ( bring arms and fists down to the floor)
 Mmm Mmm they were good (rub tummy and smile)