The Amazing Apple

Smith, Bonnie                Nansen Elementary School 
                             (312) 821-2785
                          

Objective:

To acquaint students with the phenomenon of using "an apple" to 
practice inquiry process skills of observing, classifying, inferring, 
predicting, using numbers, interpreting data, controlling variables and 
experimenting. 

Apparatus Needed:

Apples             (Materials are needed for each student)
A Knife
A Magnifier
Newspapers
Fermentation Apparatus

Recommended Strategy:

The apple can "explode into inquiry" by giving students practice in the 
inquiry process skills of observing, inferring, predicting, using 
numbers, interpreting data, controlling variables, and experimenting. 
To begin, work with students individually or in small groups.  Pass an 
apple out to each group of students, a knife (discuss safety 
precautions), a magnifier, and newspapers to cover the desks. Discuss 
with students observations of the properties of the whole apple.  Then 
have students cut the apples into several parts.  After they observe 
the inside of the apple, have the children record their results 
(drawings and descriptions) on a sheet of paper.  Continue to help by 
asking inquiry questions; What similarities and/or differences can you 
observe about the seeds?  What do you notice when you compare your 
apple with other apples in your group or class?  As process 
investigations, ask students to study two apple specimens you give 
them.  One of the specimens has been exposed to the air overnight; the 
other is a freshly cut piece of apple.  Ask questions about the two 
pieces.  In controlling variables, experiment with the effect of 
temperature on the rate of moisture loss.  As an ecological 
investigation, the apple is one small part of the Earth's total 
ecosystem.  Some of the remaining apples can be used to make applesauce 
or apple cider.  Before the children consume the applesauce or cider, 
discuss how cooling or pressure changes the apple's properties.  As 
you see, apples can "explode" with the imagination of you and your 
students!