Classification
 
Bobbie Dixon Heard             McCorkle Elementary School
                               4421 South State Street
                               Chicago IL 60609
                               (312) 535-1793
                   
Objective:

     The students will  observe various apples, contrasting them, and 
classifying the apples based on structure and color. 

Materials needed:

Different kinds of apples:
     Red Delicious             McIntosh       Granny Smith
     Golden Delicious          Rome Beauty

     hand lens                 plastic knife
     ruler                     paper towels (for clean-up)
    
SAFETY TIP:  Advise students to use EXTREME CAUTION with the plastic knives.

Strategy:

     1.  For co-operative groups of 3-4 students.
     2.  Give each group a basket of apples, different colors, various sizes, 
stems, without stems, etc.
     3.  The groups' project will be to show how the apples are alike and how 
they are different.  The groups will categorize the apples into as many 
categories as possible.  (By sizes, color, stems vs. non-stems, etc.)
     4.  Give each child a hand lens to look through.  Invite each child to 
closely observe the apples' skin color.  Discuss.  Compare and contrast.
     5.  Have the students cut each apple through the center.  Measure the 
diameter, record.  Observe the texture of each apple inside and outside the 
apple.  Record.
     6.  Have the students look for the seeds.  Are the number of seeds in each 
kind of apple the same?  Are more seeds found in any one kind of apple?  Record.
     7.  The groups will be able to compare seeds, if the number of seeds are 
different.  Data can be graphed.

Performance assessment:

     Students will be able to tell how apples are alike and different.

Curriculum Connection:

     LANGUAGE ARTS/ARTS  Have students draw pictures of their favorite apple, 
then have them write a descriptive paragraph telling how the apple looks and 
smells.
     MATH  Have students draw an apple to scale.  Students can measure diameter 
and circumference of the apples and graph the results.
     POSTER  Students can use the poster "parts of an apple" and be able to 
identify parts of an apple.
     LITERATURE  Students will read selected books relating to "The Apple".