Craft Lesson 1

Wong: Apple Pie 4th of July

Discussion: (Mid-Third Grade, Large Group)
Children, from birth, are naturally curious about the world around them. Fortunately, this particular fact allows for them to individually further their mental/cognitive, social/emotional, and physical development. Because children especially learn by first-hand experience, it is imperative to involve them in any lesson plan. This also assists children to better remember the lesson being taught. Science and math are more complicated domains sometimes viewed as more difficult subjects to teach as well as understand. However, if the child personally witnesses how changes occur when two or more liquids or powders are mixed, or when one piece of pie is subtracted from the whole to make a smaller amount/number, they have a better chance at achieving the goal of learning science.

How To Teach It:

Materials: Book, Recipe (written on poster board), Pie Ingredients (including a cooked pie crust), Ready-Made/Cooked Pie, Paper Plates, Forks, Napkins

1. Read the book
2. Talk about and write down the different things that the children eat on the 4th of July.
3. Introduce the idea of baking and the process that occurs.
4. Explain to them how things (liquids/powders/etc.) don't remain the same once they have been mixed with something else. For example, in flour, the texture, color, and/or smell may change (or remain the same) when mixed with water.
5. Talk about/follow the recipe and explain to them how the ingredients change when mixed and how much further they will change once baked. Also, discuss how/why you must measure the ingredients correctly before mixing them.
6. Have the pie ingredients in separate containers. (Make sure all ingredients are ready- cut the apples beforehand, etc.). Allow the children to taste each item separately. For example, taste the apples, then the crust, then the cinnamon, etc.
7. Mix everything together and finish the pie. Store it. Then, reveal the BAKED pie and let them see what it looks like baked.
8. Cut the pie into even pieces and have the children count them when the pie is still a whole. Then, as you serve children, count the remaining pieces and talk about how the substraction is occurring.