If you are doing a study of apples, or on trees in general, you should really consider using the book, The Apple Pie Tree, by Zoe Hall. This wonderfully illustrated book follows a single apple tree, and the two girls who love it, through the seasons, until its fruit can finally be picked, chopped, and baked into a perfect apple pie. It is a great illustration of the cycle of seasons, as well as the process of making pie!
Understanding the cycle of seasons is a pretty obvious science objective, but learning to put things in an ordered series also builds cognitive and language skills that lay the foundation for reading and writing (beginning, middle, end) while also contributing to preschool math and problem-solving skills.
As this story is built on cycles and series, I like to have the children do some seriating activities afterward. As your first option, you can use the tree pictures from the Four Seasons Chart and have the children place those tree cards in order. You could also use these Pie Series cards I made, to put the steps of making pie in order. (One of my better illustrating attempts, I’d say. Pick apples, chop apples, mix and stir, bake the pie, and serve!) While on the topic of seriation you could continue with these cards I’ve made as well: Seed Series and Snowman Series. (As always, these resources are free for you to use and share for educational purposes. Please recognize www.notjustcute.com as your source when sharing!) Enjoy!
For more favorite fall activities, click here!