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  Johnny Appleseed, originally named John Chapman, was born on September 26, 1774. He was known for growing apples and distributing them throughout much of North America. Activities using apples are traditionally taught in schools during September to commemorate his life. These projects are also a great way to educate children about the appearance and benefits of apples.
  
  

Appleseed Music Makers

• Ask parents to save apple seeds and send them to school a few days before this activity. Leave the apple seeds in the sun a day or two; the seeds should become dry and hard.
  
  Give each student two small paper plates and a craft stick. Hold the plates so that they face each other and are positioned near the top of the stick. Staple the plates to the stick and close them with staples all around, leaving a small opening at the top. Insert dry seeds in the top and shake slightly.
  
  Let students decorate their noise makers with red paint. Give each student a green felt leaf and stem to glue to the top of his apple.
  
  

Make an Apple

• Identify the parts of the apple, including the skin, the core, the flesh of the apple, the stem and the seeds. Show pictures of different apples to the students, explaining why apples have different skin colors.
  
  Give each child a die cut cardboard apple. Let students draw an outer skin in a color of their choice. They should color the interior of the apple to look like flesh. Provide brown paper seeds to glue near the center of their apples.
  
  Punch a hole in the top of each apple and run green yarn through it. Hang apples in the classroom.
  
  

Apple Pass

• Tell the children to sit in a circle. Place a basket with brown paper apple seeds in the center of the circle. Play music and have children pass a plastic apple around the circle. When the music stops, the child with the apple must pick a seed from the basket. When a child accumulates two seeds, he is out of the game. Eliminated children can return to their seats and complete an apple word search puzzle or read about Johnny Appleseed.
  
  

Apple Prints

• This activity is a little messy, but children will enjoy it. Cut apples in slices or in halves. Let the children dip the apples in water-based paints and print the shapes on paper. When the apple prints dry, children should glue dried seeds to their pictures. Apple prints can be used to make pictures or cards that students can give to their parents.