Apple-Themed Activities for Your Kindergarten/First Grade Classroom

Ah, fall—the season of colorful leaves, warm coffee, and, of course, apples! As kindergarten and first grade teachers, we know how much fun this time of year can be for kids. So, why not harness their enthusiasm for all things fun and turn it in to apple-tastic learning experiences?! Read on to explore a cornucopia of apple-themed activities that will not only fill your classroom with a sweet aroma but also engage young minds in creative and educational ways.

Art- Integrated Apple-Themed Activities

Apples aren’t just for eating; they’re perfect for art projects too! Connect art with writing with labeling, sentence writing, and more! Here are a few crafty ideas your students will love:

Torn Paper Apple: Print/copy a picture of a large apple on a piece of card stock. After doing a taste test of yellow, red, and green apples, ask students what their favorite apple is and then give them a piece of construction paper to match. They will rip little pieces of paper and glue them on their apple. This is perfect fine motor activity for little hands! They can then cut out the apple when they are done. You can also turn this into a writing activity and have them write a sentence about their favorite apple and glue it below.

Apple Printing: Slice an apple in half horizontally, dip it in paint, and stamp it onto paper. The result? Beautiful apple-shaped prints that your students can turn into colorful artwork. Once they have completed their masterpiece, have them write a sentence, or a few, about what they created.

Paper Plate Apple Core: Give each student a paper plate and let them paint the outer rim red, yellow, or green. Make sure to leave the inside white. Attach a brown stem and green leaf cut from construction paper. They can cut out little seeds using construction paper. They can write on the plate to label the apple seeds, stem, leaves, flesh, and skin. Want other labeling practice? Here is a digital apple labeling activity and a FREE printable labeling activity.

Math Apple-Themed Activities

Apple Taste Test Graph

Keep things simple by just cutting up red, yellow, and green squares. Slice the apples and allow students to taste a slice of each color apple. Keep things simple by just cutting up red, yellow, and green rectangles from construction paper. Students will pick a rectangle that represents their favorite apple color and then write their name. Call tables up to glue their paper on the graph.

2. Apple Jack Decomposing Numbers within 5 (or 10)

Grab a set of five frames, or ten frames, and some Apple Jack cereal and prepare for the fun! You can call out numbers and students will use the orange and green Apple Jack cereal to show ways to make the number. Can’t use food in your room? Use apple seasonal erasers or these apple math manipulatives from Amazon (affiliate link).

3. Decomposing Numbers within 5 Math Craft

Have your students pick a number and use two different color crayons to show different equations. You can check out the full resource here!

Literacy Apple-Themed Ideas

1. Applesauce Sequencing: A Yummy Lesson in Order

Up first, applesauce sequencing! This is an absolute hit every single year! The students enjoy the sequencing lesson, cut and paste activities, and ending the lesson with homemade applesauce in the crockpot is the cherry on top (or apple on top!)

This pack has everything you need from student sequencing books, writing pages, anchor charts, and more!

Science Apple-Themed Activities

1. Apple Taste Test: A Sensory Exploration

Set up an apple tasting station with different types of colored apples—Granny Smith, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, and more. Have your students taste each variety and describe the flavors, textures, and colors they encounter. Create an anchor chart and write down students experiences with taste, smell, sight, touch, and hearing as they interact with the apples. *Turn this into a writing lesson by having them write their favorite apple and why they like it.

2. Learn About The Apple Life Cycle

Use this digital resource to teach your students about the apple life cycle. From seed to tree, students can interact with this resource and complete a drag and drop at the end!

3. Apple-Themed Science: Apple Volcanoes

Combine science and fun with apple volcanoes. Here’s how:

Ingredients:

Apples
Baking soda
Vinegar
Red food coloring (optional)

Instructions:

Core the apples, creating a small cavity at the top.
Fill the cavity with baking soda and a few drops of red food coloring.
Pour vinegar into the apple, and watch the eruption!

This activity not only introduces the concept of chemical reactions but also provides a memorable, fizzy spectacle.

So, there you have it—plenty of apple-themed activities to infuse your kindergarten classroom with the warmth and excitement of the season. Whether you’re making applesauce, crafting, counting, or experimenting, these engaging activities will make fall a memorable and enriching time for your young learners. Enjoy the apple-picking season, both in the orchard and in your classroom!

You can also check out this endless bundle of apple-themed resources for your kindergarten and first grade classroom! Endless bundles are awesome because any item added to the storefront will automatically be added to the bundle at no cost to you!