Each year in September, I do an Apple Unit with my class. My students always have so much fun throughout this unit because there are so many hands-on activities and they can make so many connections to what we are learning about! When starting out the unit, I love to read fiction and non-fiction books about apples with my class. Here are some of my favorites... *Please note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases I also like to share videos about the apple life cycle with my students so that they can have a visual of the process... After reading books and watching videos about the apples, my class and I create an anchor chart to show each stage of the life cycle. Then, I let my students create their own diagram with the different stages (pictured below). After my students draw their pictures for each stage of the apple life cycle, they can write about what happens in each stage. This can be used as an expository writing assignment, or as an assessment to see if students understand the process of the life cycle. Then, I let my students glue their life cycle and their writing onto large pieces of green, red, and yellow construction paper to display in our hallway :) In the beginning of the year, sentence structure and handwriting are a large focus for my writing block. So, I created apple sentence cards to unscramble as a class. Then, once we put the cards in the correct order, my students write and illustrate the sentences. **You can laminate the cards and use them as a center for students as well!** To continue our apple unit, my students complete apple investigations! I pass out half of an apple to each student for them to investigate. Click on the picture below to grab my apple investigation freebie!! After investing the apple, I give my students pieces of red, yellow, and green apples to taste and compare. Then, I ask my students to vote on which type of apple is their favorite. I create an anchor chart to display each of my students' votes (included in unit). Then, my students create a data sheet and graph the information from our survey. After my students have decided on their favorite type of apple, I use this as an opportunity to practice opinion writing and have my students tell me why they like their favorite type of apple the best. I have my students complete a graphic organizer. Then, I conference with my students and check for capitalization, spacing, and punctuation before my students write their final draft. Two types of graphic organizers are provided for scaffolding purposes! I hope your class enjoys this apple unit as much as mine did!! Please let me know if you have any questions! :)
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Right after spring break, our students each get a caterpillar and learn about the butterfly life cycle. This is always the best time of the year! Then, throughout April, we further their learning through an insect unit, where our students get to learn about many different types of insects. I decided to create some activities to use when we start the unit! To start out the unit, I had my class read a passage about insects as a class. I usually ask my students to echo read the passage with me the first time around, while we discuss different vocabulary words. Then, I ask my students to read the passage another time with partners. After reading the passage, we go through and answer the questions together and then highlight where we found the answers in our text. I also developed vocabulary cards that I keep in a pocket chart on our vocabulary wall. The words I chose for the vocabulary cards are ones that I knew would come up a lot while learning about different insects. This made it so that I could keep the cards up for the whole month, and just add other words that relate to specific insects when we are learning about them.
Keeping the vocabulary words up on the wall with pictures helps students recognize the words more while they are reading and they can use the words in their writing, as well. Here are some examples of the vocabulary cards. You can use these in a pocket chart as a matching game with the picture, word, and definition, too! For the AZELLA (Arizona's English Proficiency Assessment) the students must ask questions about a picture and describe a picture in complete sentences. In order to help them practice, I have created picture writing prompts. For these, I first display the picture to the class. I have them share questions with partners to ask about the picture, and then I have a few students share with the class. This helps my students build their oral language skills, and it helps them practice using more details in their writing.
We have been learning about ocean animals, so my students really enjoyed writing what they knew about each animal in the pictures :) |
AuthorMy name is Paige. I taught first grade in Arizona for 3 years and am currently in my 6th year of teaching Kindergarten in California. I love creating engaging activities to do with my students! I hope you find these activities to be just as much fun to do with your class! Categories
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