Apple Fractions

By Jerry Pallotta

Ages: PreK - 3

Discuss

• From memory, name a few of the apples in the book.  Describe what you remember about each different apple that makes them unique.
• As mentioned in the book, orange and apples are both fruit but are different in several ways.  Note what makes them different.
• The Asian pear looks like an apple but it is not!  Looks can fool you!  What do you know about the Asian pear that would make you think it is an apple?  What makes it a pear and not an apple?  What other fruit can end up with mistaken identities?
• What do you know about apple blossoms?  What role does the bee play in getting apples on the tree?  How important is this role? What is pollen?  What other plants have pollen?
• How is cider made?  What is the difference between cider and apple juice?

Activities

• As you read the book, follow along with a few real apples.  Ask the child how you should cut the apple to get the fraction represented in the book.  Use the fraction tiles to show the equivalent of the fractions shown in the book.
• When you get to the orange fraction page, peel two oranges and see which one has more pieces (hopefully one orange has less/more than the other).  Add and subtract equal pieces from each set.  Example: One orange has 8 slices, the other 10 slices.  Remove 2 slices from each set.  One goes from 8/8 to 6/8 and the other goes from 10/10 to 8/10.  Ask the child which fraction is < or > than the other.  Continue by removing another two pieces and ask the same question.  Keep subtracting pieces and then start adding them in again.  You can add one at a time to make it more interesting.  See if the child notices a pattern.  Use fraction tiles to help assist with the problem solving.
• Find a outline of an apple and have the child label the parts of an apple.
• Make Monkey Bread for a hands on fractions activity.
• Fill out an Apple Fractions Booklet from this website.
• Make a multidimensional chart with descriptive words for how apples feel, taste, look, sound, and smell.  Here is a link to how the apple chart can be made.  This activity is great for even the youngest of learners and encourages the child to use all of their senses.
• Go more in depth into pollination with this pollination activity book.   This bees and pollen activity book expands on the subject even more and is directed towards a higher grade level.  I do like this second book because it has a lot of really hands on activities.  
• Bee and flower craft.
• Buy some apple juice and some apple cider.  Have the child note the differences between the two.  If possible, visit a place where you can bring your own apples to be made into cider.
• The book touches base on improper fractions.  Check out this link for additional support in explaining how improper fractions work.   Or this link which includes 10 review questions after the lesson. Here are two worksheets on improper fractions: basic and more advanced.