Apple Tasting

●        Ask students what they know about apples. Talk about where they’re grown, the many varieties, that they keep doctors away, etc.

●        Organize class into four group to work in stations. Students will work together through each section of the log.

●        Distribute 4 apples of 4 different varieties to each group. There should be 16 apples.

●        Materials: 16 apples.

·         Will it float?

Take survey. Then put apple in water.

·         How much does it weight?

Make educated guesses, then weigh apples. How many apples make a pound?

·         How many seeds does it have?

Cut apple, extract seeds and count. (Set aside in labeled container to compare with other seeds.)

·         Materials needed: scale, large bowl of water, knife for cutting apple

Log observations.

·         What observations can you make about the apples?

·         What are they called?

·         What color is the peel?

·         What do they smell like? Same or different?

·         Taste the apples, one at a time. Make observations about each. Is apple sweet? tart? juicy? crunchy? squishy? etc.

·         Which is their favorite? Take poll. Log in chart.

Read Apples by Gail Gibbons.

Challenge students to create their own new variety of apple and name it.

·         Grate several varieties of apples into small containers or onto paper plates.

·         After discussing the characteristics of the different varieties with students, direct them to mix the gratings in order to create a new apple variety.

·         The fun part will be naming the new variety! Children should note which ingredients they used to come up with the new taste.

Alternatively, make apple sauce