Engaging students is easy when you have first-hand experiences. So, this fall, why not plan some Johnny Appleseed Activities full of apple fun that motivates and excites your students?
In this blog post, I’ll show you how easy the setup is for an Apple Day or everyday classroom activities using Apple and Johnny Appleseed as the topic. I’ll also show you how much fun each activity will be and have your kiddos asking for more.
A Bit of Johnny Appleseed History
Johnny Appleseed was a folk hero who spread apple seeds across the United States. He is celebrated in many ways, but one of the most popular ways is a Johnny Appleseed Day Celebration.
Johnny Appleseed was born on September 26, 1774. He was a natural person, not a fairy tale or legend character. Johnny Appleseed was his nickname; his real name was John Chapman. As a young man, Johnny Appleseed traveled westward across Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, planting apple seeds wherever he went. He slept outdoors, even in cold weather, and made friends with the animals he met along the way.
Johnny Appleseed was a kind and gentle man who was always helpful to others. He was also very religious and preached about God’s love for all His creation.
Although he had no formal education, Johnny Appleseed was a man of great intelligence and imagination. He was an excellent storyteller and could always make people laugh. He was also a man of great faith, and his simple message of love and respect for all of God’s creatures touched the hearts of many people.
Johnny Appleseed died on March 18, 1845. He was buried in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where a memorial now stands in his honor. Every September 26, we remember Johnny Appleseed and the legacy he left behind.
Building Background with Students
After the students have had a chance to learn about who Johnny Appleseed was, what he did, and why he is considered a folk hero, it’s time to start the day’s festivities! Begin the day by reading a book about him, such as “Johnny Appleseed” by Steven Kellogg. This will help set the tone for the day and get the students excited about what’s to come.
Next, have the students help map the travels of Johnny Appleseed across the country. The students need to see where he went. As you’re creating the map, point out all of the places that Johnny Appleseed visited and explain how he helped spread apple seeds everywhere he went.
Once the map is complete, hang it up in a visible spot in the classroom where everyone can see it. Throughout the day, as the students participate in various activities, they can refer to the map to see where Johnny Appleseed went and what he did.
Johnny Appleseed Activities
Now that the students are familiar with Johnny Appleseed and his travels, it’s time to start the day with fun hands-on Johnny Appleseed-themed activities!
Johnny Appleseed Student Reading
Students can read about the history of Johnny Appleseed and his travels across the United States by providing other read-aloud books or gathering a variety of kid-friendly texts. (You can find an excellent reading fluency passage in my Apple Day Stations if you want to grab it quickly.)
As students read, discuss vocabulary terms, highlight the places, Johnny Appleseed went to, and record exciting facts to learn. After they finish reading, lead a discussion about what they learned and what they found most interesting.
Writing About Johnny Appleseed
Students can respond to the student text with writing prompts or a simple summary. They can share their thoughts and opinions about Johnny Appleseed and his travels as they write. After they finish, students can share their completed work with a partner to deepen their knowledge.
Research the Benefits of Planting Trees
Students can learn the benefits of planting trees by researching and writing a mini report. To assist students in the research, I recommend, The Tree Education Hub. The site has a kid-friendly activity to teach kids about the Benefits of Trees. After the activity, students can complete a tri-fold mini-report on the information learned.
Parts of an Apple Tree
Labeling parts of an apple tree is one way to begin teaching students about the tree’s life cycle. As you introduce each element, discuss the functions as well. The activity is then used as the foundation for students to learn about the seasons of an apple tree.
Design an Apple Orchard
Designing a mini apple orchard is an excellent way for students to get hands-on experience with early multiplication. Students randomly select an apple card and read the multiplication sentence. Then, students stamp fingerprints using an ink pad or paint to represent apples.
The fingerprints should be placed in rows and columns related to the multiplication sentence. The same procedure continues until students have each created four mini-apple orchards. The hands-on creation process reinforces early multiplication concepts.
Plant Apple Seeds
Planting seeds is a fantastic way for students to see how an apple tree grows from a seed. Students can plant their apple seeds, take them home to water, and care for them. This activity will teach students the importance of taking care of plants and how to do so correctly.
A Johnny Appleseed Activity for Comparing Texts
Reading stories about Johnny Appleseed is a great way for students to learn more about him and his travels. There are a variety of books available, both fiction and nonfiction, that tell the story of Johnny Appleseed. As students read, they can highlight exciting facts and information. After they finish reading, lead a discussion about the stories and what they learned.
Use a large Venn diagram for students to compare two texts as a class. As students reflect on the texts, students record information on a post-it and place it on the oversized Venn diagram.
Another Johnny Appleseed Math Activity
Solving word problems like apples is an excellent way for students to learn about math and how it can be applied in real life. As students solve the math problems, they can think about the different steps involved and how to use them. When students can show their work in drawings, explaining their job becomes much more accessible. So naturally, a sharing opportunity is provided once students complete their pictures.
Apple Craft
Creating an apple craft is a fun activity for students while they reflect on their new knowledge. Students will enjoy taking home a piece of memorabilia which will lead to sharing their apple experiences with family and loved ones.
Here are the simple steps to creating the Apple Craft with your students. You can purchase the ready-made craft in my Apple Day Stations Unit or follow the steps below.
- Guide students in drawing the top and bottom sections of an apple core.
- Place 3-4 craft sticks side by side with Elmer’s glue holding them together.
- Cut and glue and small inch worm peeking out from the apple core.
Bobbing for Apples
An apple bobbing contest is a great way to get students excited and engaged. Fill a tub or bucket with water and apples, and then see who can grab one the fastest without using their hands.
If you’d rather have a more sanitary activity, tie an apple on twine from a bar. Students need to eat the apple hanging above them. The trick is that students are not allowed to use their hands. Not only does this activity thrill the students, but it also gives the teacher a chuckle!
Culminating Snack
After students enjoy an apple snack of a variety of apple slices, students can learn about it. This activity will teach them about different types of apples and how to compare and contrast them. They can think about the different flavors and textures as they graph their favorite apples. After they finish graphing, lead a discussion about the different types of apples and what they learned.
The students will definitely have a memorable experience with all of the fun Johnny Appleseed-themed activities! They will learn more about this folk hero and his incredible impact on our country and have a lot of fun doing it.
These activities will leave a lasting impression on the students and help them appreciate the importance of Johnny Appleseed’s work.
If you’d like an already-made version of the Apple Day Stations with all of its goodness, this is the link to the Apple Station Activities. The unit includes detailed lesson plans, printable pages, classroom posters to display or project, and more.
This resource will make your life easier and help you set up your own engaging and motivated Apple Day Stations in a snap!
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