Making applesauce (from the apples in yesterday’s blog) is a another terrific science activity. Of course, it’s a great cooking activity, too, but also helps kids practice organizing information and forming a conclusion. Children do this all the time. Remember, how many times they loved pushing over a tower of blocks? But this thinking skill is something that gets easier with practice. Just making applesauce shows how heat changes food, actions create change and some changes cannot be undone.
Going from apples to applesauce is a very concrete way of following instructions and creating a sequence of steps. After making applesauce, try remembering the steps going forward and, for a super challenge, backward!
When I first started teaching we used to make applesauce in an electric frying pan which was much faster than a slow cooker. Later, we had a microwave which was very easy. Now, we use an apple slicer, cut the slices using plastic knives into small pieces and grind them using a little baby food grinder. We add a little lemon juice, a bit of maple syrup, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. A spoon of blueberries added to the grinder changes the color to an exciting purple. Even more science. What’s your kid-friendly recipe for making applesauce?
For our apple activity #6 that’s helping kids prepare for kindergarten, slice a yellow, green and red apple. Let family members or a group of kids taste each of the 3 colors. Ask each person to decide on a favorite. How many people like each color? What color is the most popular choice? Is that the same color that we see most often at the store?