Sometimes a simple activity can teach children a lot about science. For example, dissecting an apple is a hands-on STEAM project that can help young kids understand basic botany. Also, it’s good to use resources that are readily available to you in your home (such as fruit). In addition, you can help your child understand vocabulary words, like seed, core, stem, flesh, and skin. This project will also prepare young children for dissection in biology class.

For this STEAM project you will need:

• An apple (or two)
• Child-friendly knife and/or scissors
• A plate
• Paper
• Pen, crayons, or markers

Procedure:
Wash the apple and slice it in half, cutting through the middle. Since this is a sensory experiment, let your child look at and touch the seeds. Next, go over the definition of an apple. You can use the Britannica School resource through the library website for information about apples and seeds. Next, place the seeds on the plate and write a definition of the word “seed.” Then continue defining the other parts of the apple as you place the skin, flesh, stem, and core on the plate.

More definitions for parts of the apple:

• Core
• Flesh
• Skin
• Stem (if you have an apple with a stem)

You can also cut the apple to create a star in the middle!

Questions to think about:

• What kind of apple did we look at today? What other types of apples are there?
• What did we find in our apple today? How many seeds are there?
• Do you think we can grow the seeds?
• Do all fruits have the same parts that we found in an apple?

Overdrive Resources:
Yummy Yoga by Joy Bauer
Crafty Science by Jane Bull
One Green Apple by Eve Bunting
In the Garden with Dr. Carver by Susan Grigsby and Nicole Tadgell
The Apple Orchard Riddle by Margaret McNamara and G. Brian Karas
Our Food by Grace Lin and Randa T. McKneally

Helpful Resources:
Apple Recipes
Apple STEM Challenge
How to Plant Apple Seeds
Parts of an Apple Plate Chart
Parts of an Apple Song