Apples!Apples!

Introduction | Task | What to Do | Links We've Visited |

Evaluation | Conclusion | Other Activities | Teacher Notes

Introduction: The apple is one of the most popular fruits of them all. You may have even had one at lunch today, but did you know that there are hundreds of varieties, or kinds, of apples? Did you know that apples can be used to make several different foods? You have probably heard of Johnny Appleseed, but do you know the truth and the legends about his life? Come and learn all these things and more on our AppleQuest!

The Task:

• Use the internet to find and record information on the different varieties of apples.
• Use the information you found to complete an online quiz comparing the apple varieties.
• Track down information on the internet about Johnny Appleseed and complete clues about his life in order to uncover a hidden message and to write a new tall tale about his journeys.

What to Do: Read all directions before you click.

VARIETIES OF APPLES

1. Print out the Varieties of Apples Chart.
2. Go to the website titled Washington Apples -- Apple Varieties to complete the Varieties of Apples Chart that you printed out. Click on the name of the apple to find the needed information; then click the "back" button to return to the page containing all the apple varieties.
3. Complete the Apples! Apples! Online Quiz using your Varieties of Apples Chart.

JOHNNY APPLESEED

1. Print out the Clues about Johnny Appleseed's Life pages.
2. Go to the website Apple Juice on the Internet - Johnny Appleseed to find the answers to the Clues about Johnny Appleseed's Life.
3. Print out the Hidden Message Word Search about Johnny Appleseed. The answers you wrote on your Clues pages will be the words you circle in the word search. Fill in the letters that are left uncircled in the word search in the spaces at the bottom of the word search page to spell out the hidden message.
4. Although Johnny Appleseed was a real person, many exaggerated stories or tall tales have been told about him. Use the information you found at the website Apple Juice on the Internet - Johnny Appleseed to write and illustrate a new tall tale about an adventure Johnny Appleseed may have had while he was going across the country planting apple trees.

Links We've Visited:

• Varieties of Apples Chart, a teacher made material
• Washington Apples -- Apple Varieties
• Apples! Apples! Online Quiz
• Clues about Johnny Appleseed's Life, teacher made material
• Apple Juice on the Internet - Johnny Appleseed
• Hidden Message Word Search, a teacher made material

Evaluation:

At the end of this webquest, you will:

• Be able to name and compare several varieties of apples.
• List both facts and legends or exaggerations about the life of Johnny Appleseed.
• Have written a new tall tale about Johnny Appleseed based on true information found on the internet.

Conclusion:

After comparing varieties of apples and tracking down clues about Johnny Appleseed's life, you have learned more about one of the most popular fruits and a folk hero who helped to make them so popular in the United States.

Other Activities:

Interested in learning even more about apples or Johnny Appleseed? Here are some other websites to visit or other activities to try.

• Reading is Fun-Duh-Mental! A list of books about apples or Johnny Appleseed.
• Apple Coloring Book
• Apple Recipes Get cooking with apples! Caramel Apple Recipe Recipes require adult help and supervision.
• Johnny Appleseed Webquest A webquest all about Johnny Appleseed.
• Johnny Appleseed Online Crossword Puzzle
• The Little Red House With No Doors and No Windows and a Star Inside A story to read.
• Dole 5 A Day Kid's Page

  

  

  Teacher Notes:

  Students will need to know how to scroll in windows in order to read the selected materials. They will also need to know how to click on links and to use the "Back" button on the toolbar. Students may want to work in pairs.

   

  VARIETIES OF APPLES

  Before completing the Varieties of Apples activity, students should be familiar with the term "varieties" and also the concept of a fruit's growing season. It may be helpful to print out the varieties chart and to duplicate it for all students before getting started. The completed varieties chart could provide the basis for a group discussion on similarities and differences of the various types of apples and would allow for the use of graphic organizers to further categorize the apple varieties by their similarities and differences.

   

  A great extension of the Varieties activity is to hold a classroom taste test of some of the different types of apples and to graph the results of taste preferences.

   

  JOHNNY APPLESEED

  It will be helpful to first go to Page Setup before printing out the Clues about Johnny Appleseed's Life pages and set the scale to 90% so that the document will fit on two pages which can then be duplicated front-and-back for students.

   

  An attempt was made to find an internet site containing biographical information about Johnny Appleseed which would be easily read and comprehended by elementary students. The website Apple Juice on the Internet - Johnny Appleseed was selected. You may want to preview the site and determine if it would be better to read or to discuss the information together rather than to have students read the page independently. You may use one of the Books about Johnny Appleseed to help in creating a new tall tale. The concept of a tall tale may also need to be further explained to students, sharing examples from folklore.

   

  Don't forget to look at the Other Activities for more apple ideas!

  OTHER ONLINE RESOURCES

  Teacher's Kit. New York Apple Association has created a K-6 kit of integrated classroom activities. Can be printed out or downloaded. Includes many reproducibles.

  Teachers and Children.Ohio's Apple Growers provide a source of web sites, lesson plans, and interesting children's activities.

  Marian's Apple Page.Lists of links including general information, recipes, information on growing apples, sites of interest to teachers, Johnny Appleseed, and more.

  Apple Pickin' Time.Exhaustive list of ideas and websites for use with students in preschool through second grade.

  Johnny Appleseed.Exhaustive list of websites pertaining to Johnny Appleseed.

   

  

  

  I hope you have enjoyed the AppleQuest. Let me know what you think, or if you have any suggestions or contributions to this webquest, please email me. Thanks!

  Apples!Apples! Webquest designed and researched by Tricia Goodman, Media Coordinator at Sternberger Elementary (Guilford County Schools) in Greensboro, NC.

  GCS Webquests