Apples in Kindergarten

We explored apples last week in Kindergarten.  The kids all brought in apples to taste, we read apple books and talked about the parts of an apple, the parts of a tree, the life cycle of the apple, and the four seasons.  We read both fiction and non-fiction (common core-woohoo!).  My kids are just learning the difference.                                                    

We read Ten Apples Up On Top and made a class book.  They each drew themselves and used a red, yellow, or green dotter to make the apples.

We made apple pictures.  I skipped the apple prints.  For some reason they never turn out for me and they get everything covered in paint (including me and the kids!).  There are many more activities with apples but I never can get to everything!  I am almost up to normal speed in math.  We do a Drops in the Bucket paper or a math journal prompt, then we do one math tub center, then share.  It takes us a little too long still but we are getting the hang of it.  

Today was the 30th day of school!  Amazing.  In writing, we have been working in our morning journals for a few weeks.  I am still having them all share- that will change soon.  As they begin to write more it takes too long.  I have some foam visors and I go around the room picking 6-7 people to share using the document camera/projector each day.  Maybe next week.  In reading, we are still practicing read to self all at the same time (although I am pulling very fast reading groups), then buddy reading all at the same time, then a whole group activity (one day might be a class book made in response to reading or today we made a Black Cat book all at the same time).  It is kind of fun to do but I am almost ready to have them choose and work independently.

So here are some of the art projects we did.

We did some oil pastel resist with a liquid watercolor wash.

 We made big paintings of apples on the apple tree with a fingerplay glued on to help them remember it.

They stamped their handprints for the leaves and used fingerprints for the apples.

And we made the four seasons of the apple tree.

I love their apple art!