Science Activities

The Apple is the Star of the Show for activity #7. Cutting an apple in half from top to bottom shows the long view of the core and the seeds. Have you ever discovered the star inside an apple when you cut it across the middle horizontally? It has 5 seed-holding points. Kids love discovering something new. Encouraging these discoveries makes learning exciting and inviting. This isn’t important only for kindergarten readiness; it’s important for a life-long love of learning. Now, what to do with the cut halves? Rub a little lemon juice on the cut part and save them for tomorrow’s apple activity. Any guesses what happens to the apple, tomorrow?

Apple activity #4 is a science experiment. Will an apple float or sink?

Use a clear, transparent bowl of water or just run some cool water in the sink. First, talk about (predict) if the apple will float or if it will sink. Next, test your guess (hypothesis) by putting the apple in the water. What happens? Were you surprised by the result? Next, try putting the apple in with the stem pointing down. What happens, now? Point the stem sideways and check again.
Try a different color of apple. Does this make any difference?
Extend the activity by using a banana, or a grape or an orange or some other fruits and veggies. ***Remember, predict first and then find out.
Bobbing for bananas? Going for grapes? Doesn’t seem as much fun as apples.
What do other fruits and veggies do?

(Planting seeds or a tree in honor of someone can be a meaningful way for a child to remember and for a family to share memories.)

For Apple Learning Activity #2, choose a big, crisp, juicy apple to eat. Instead of tossing the core, save it and find the seeds. Count how many seeds. Do apple seeds look like apple trees? What other foods have seeds? Compare some other seeds to apple seeds and see how they are the same and different. Late summer is a perfect time to find seeds outdoors, perhaps in a garden or a park. Exploring nature, even in something as small as an apple, is another way of helping your child prepare for kindergarten.