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".
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