The fall is my favorite time in the classroom! This is the time of year that my littles are just getting settled into their new routines and we’re diving into fun topics, like apples. In my classroom, using books to align with what we’re learning about is key to my lessons. If you love using books in the classroom too, I’ve got a fun roundup for you! Today I’m sharing my favorite books about apples for kindergarten!
Using Books About Apples
When it comes to using books in the primary classroom, my favorite way is during read-aloud time. The morning meeting or circle time on the rug is such a wonderful time to connect with my students, learn about a new topic, and foster a love for books.
I like to choose 1-2 books per day for read-aloud time and go through them slowly. I take time to carefully read the text, show my students the pictures, and ask questions when we’re done. This is a great time to chat about what we learned and make an anchor chart too!
I also like to make books available in our classroom library, too. During reading time or centers, my students love to flip through the books about apples on their own and discuss what they see with their friends. This is especially helpful after you’ve read through the books during whole-group time as well.
Choosing Books About Apples
If you’re anything like me, you probably own a lot of children’s books. As a long-time teacher in primary learning classrooms, I love to collect books for every theme and lesson we focus on during the school year. When it comes to books about apples for kindergarten, there’s no shortage of favorites on my list!
Each year, when I’m choosing my favorite books to use for our lessons, I like to think about a couple of factors to help me choose:
- using a mix of fiction and non-fiction
- upcoming holidays during the month
- concepts I’m looking to target through the books
- books that will align with the personalities in my classroom
- books that help guide students toward key themes and ideas
These variables may change from year to year based on the students in my group and what we have time for in this particular season. For example, if I know I have a particularly rowdy bunch one year, I’ll take care to choose shorter stories (especially in the fall) to help them get used to read-aloud time.
I also consider when holidays fall and what we’ll have time to cover within our school calendar. Keeping these things in mind helps to make sure I’m choosing the BEST books tailored to my students’ unique needs each year. Ready to see my all-time favorite books about apples for kindergarten? Let’s jump in!
1. Apples by Gail Gibbons
This book, and really anything written by Gail Gibbons, is always at the top of my list. This book is on the longer side, so keep that in mind when choosing the best options for your group. It’s a highly comprehensive overview of the history of apples, how they are grown, and what they are used for. This book is a great one to read a few pages per day with your students and ask questions to check in with understanding.
I also like to leave a copy of this one out in my classroom library since it’s filled with super helpful illustrations. Kiddos will love looking at the pictures of the apple life cycle, apple farming, and cooking with apples.
2. Apples for Everyone by Jill Esbaum
This non-fiction book is a quick read that also provides a great overview of everything students will need to know about apples. When picking books about apples for my students, I like to make sure I choose at least a few with real pictures. The kids always find these super fascinating to look through!
3. Apples and Pumpkins by Anne Rockwell
This book is another favorite since it covers both apples and pumpkins. This is a great opportunity to compare apples and pumpkins and talk about the differences and similarities of each. In my room, we chat about how they look, how they grow, their life cycles, and what they can be used for.
My students love the colorful, watercolor pictures in this book too, so it’s a great one to make available in the library after you’ve read through it!
4. Ten Red Apples by Pat Hutchins
My students love this book! This book is a fictional story that involves counting apples on a tree.
There’s a cute little chant that my students love to repeat aloud and it’s a fun change of pace from the non-fiction books we read to discuss how apples grow. As I mentioned, when choosing books about apples for kindergarten, I like to make sure I have a mix of silly stories, and informative non-fiction to balance out our read-aloud time. This book fits the bill!
5. Apple Picking Day by Candice Ransom
This book about apples is a student favorite. This short and sweet story follows a brother and sister as they pick apples at a local orchard.
This is a super quick read and another great one to make available in the library after you go through it.
After reading this book, I like to ask my students if any of them have picked apples before and if so to share their experience with the class.
If no one has, I share my own experiences and we chat about what you might expect at an orchard.
This is a fun discussion to have before starting the apple activities in your classroom this year.
6. Pinkalicious: Apples, Apples, Apples! by Victoria Kann
Any Pinkalicious fans in your group? If you teach kindergarten, the answer is likely YES! This book is another cute, fictional tale about going apple picking. I like this one since it discusses “Pink Lady” apples. This is a great time to chat with your kiddos about the different varieties of apples, especially if you plan to do a tasting!
7. Johnny Appleseed by Jane Kurtz
If you’re planning to celebrate Johnny Appleseed Day on September 26, definitely be sure to grab a book like this one too! This book tells the story of who Johnny Appleseed was and what he did.
The kiddos love hearing this story and learning about the history of apple trees in the United States.
8. The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall
Last, but certainly not least, this book is one of my favorites. In this classic story, children will learn about an apple tree through the seasons. They’ll see each stage in the apple tree’s life and learn how apples grow. I like to use this book alongside our apple life cycle activities to illustrate the many stages of growth.
This is also a fun book to use if you plan on having some kind of apple treat in your classroom after your lessons as well.
Apple Activities for Kindergarten
Once you’ve decided on the books about apples to use in your classroom, it’s time to start planning your activities! When it comes to apple activities for preschool and kindergarten, I’m a big fan of using lapbooks, or flippy flaps.
I actually have a post all about my favorite apple activities and how they can be used alongside your apple books. The apple activities covered allow students to explore a variety of topics including:
- apple life cycle
- apple facts
- apple food products
- apple parts
- describing apples
- favorite types of apples
- and more!
Apple lapbooks are a perfect way to recap so much of what you’ve covered in your books about apples in a fun, hands-on way! There’s also a digital version that’s great for whole-group teaching, distance learning, and homework assignments!
Start Planning Your Apple Books and Activities
I hope this list of books and lessons helps you get started with planning your apple activities this fall! It’s always one of my favorite topics to cover, and the kiddos are usually pretty excited about it, too! Be sure to check out my apple-themed lessons post for more ideas and a closer look at those apple lapbook activities! Happy planning!
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