Do you know how writing, science and math turn apples into homemade applesauce? If you ask the kindergartners in Bethany Pendino’s class at Jury Elementary School in the Hazelwood School District, you’ll learn.
The homemade applesauce began with the children writing sentences about apples, reading aloud books about apples and sequencing the growth of an apple tree. By studying a unit on trees in science, the children learned how trees grow from seeds, the parts of the tree and how apples grow. Counting, sorting and graphing apples of different colors taught an understanding of math, which included talking about similarities and differences.
Pendino explained that each child was asked to contribute one apple and “every child had the opportunity to help prepare the apples for the applesauce.” Sliced apples and cinnamon sticks filled a crock pot and as it cooked, the aroma drifted through the classroom.
“Having the opportunity to use their five senses to experience real apples helped to make their learning more concrete,” said Pendino. “They were able to see and feel the apples as they identified similarities and differences among the apples and as they sorted them. They were able to make connections between what we are reading and writing and the actual apples.”
“The students enjoyed making the applesauce,” she said. “The children were amazed when we checked on the applesauce throughout the day that what started as pieces of apple and cinnamon sticks was actually turning into applesauce.
“Getting to eat the applesauce was definitely the highlight of the day.”
The lessons gave students something to talk about at home as well.
“As students show their apple graphs or sequencing activities or tell about making applesauce, they are sharing their learning with their parents,” said Pendino.