Johnny Appleseed,  born Jonathan Chapman September 26, 1774 in Massachusetts, was an American pioneer nurseryman.

He introduced the apple to large parts of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. He became an American legend while still alive, largely because of his kind and generous ways, his great leadership in conservation, and the symbolic importance of apples. Johnny set out on his long journey with a walking stick in his hand and a pot on his head. He traveled mostly barefoot. He carried the bible, and a sack of seeds on his back. He planted seeds everywhere along the way. Everyone loved him! Children listened to his stories and the animals of the forest would run up to him, waiting to be fed. Everywhere Johnny went, apple trees began to grow. He died at the age of 70 in Ft. Wayne, Indiana of pneumonia.

During September, the children learn about Johnny Appleseed, and participate in a thematic unit on apples, culminating with a field trip to the apple orchard, and pumpkin patch. 

Day One

• Introduce unit: read "Johnny Appleseed" by Steven Kellogg, discuss who he was, and what he did. Establish whether the incidents could have happened in real life, or if they were exaggerations - ex: his real name is John Chapman, but it is just a legend that he tended a wounded wolf and kept him for a pet.
• Science/History: Trace the route Johnny Appleseed took on a map. List the states he traveled through planting apple seeds.
• Activity/Project: make Johnny Appleseed paperbag puppet
• Snack: Apple cider

Day Two

• Read: "Johnny and the Bears"
• Word Study: Apple tasting - sample a variety of apples, list describing words for each  kind of apple (save seeds for apple core hangings)
• Math: Graph favorite apple - opinion vs fact
• Activity/Project: "Same Shapes" activity sheet; begin apple core hangings
• Snack: Apple Juice - compare taste to cider

Day Three

• Read: "The Little Red House" - at the end, cut an apple to show the star
• Writing: A Fruit Alphabet (A is for Apple, B is for Banana, ....)
• Research: In magazines, find pictures associated with apples
• Activity/Project: "Leaves, Please" number words; finish applecore hangings
• Snack: Apple butter

Day Four

• Writing: "Larger Than Life" write an exaggeration of somethingthat happened to you on the way to school
• Activity/Project: "Johnny Appleseed" color word page
• Snack: Apple pie

Day Five

• Word Study: Johnny Appleseed
• Writing: Apple Expressions - He's the apple of my eye! (p.41)
• Activity/Project: Illustrate Johnny Appleseed story - group work
• Snack: dried apples

Day Six

• Read: Johnny's Apple Tree Through the Seasons
• Word Study: Products made from apples
• Writing: Apple Chain story (3 groups)
• Activity/Project: "From Tree to Market" (sequence)
• Snack: (apple product)

Day Seven

• Word Study: Seasons
• Writing: My favorite season is..... because......
• Research: Find pictures in magazines that show the different seasons
• Activity/Project: "From seed to apple" flap book (sequence) click here for the flaps
• Snack: (apple product)

Day Eight

• Word Study: Recipes; ingredients 
• Writing: write about a time you helped your mom cook 
• Activity/Project: make applesauce (in 3 groups) objective: following a recipe
• Snack: eat our applesauce
• extra activity: Make an apple puppet and explain to a friend how you make applesauce!

Extended Activity:

Following Johnny Appleseed - explore the many states that Johnny Appleseed planted orchards and traveled to by foot. He normally did not wear shoes, and rarely rode a horse. He walked from state-to-state planting trees, caring for his nurseries, and sharing company with anyone around him. The students will get a brief history and geography lesson in each of the five states that he started nurseries. Some of his apple trees and orchards still produce apples.

• Enchanted Learning—U.S. States use this site to trace the path Johnny took as he planted orchards.

Websites of interest about Johnny Appleseed:

• Enchanted Learning: Johnny Appleseed
• Johnny Appleseed - Junior Ecology Club
• The Processed Apples Institute
• J. Appleseed and Company
• The Johnny Appleseed Festival

Many of the activities for this unit are taken from the Thematic Unit "Apples" from Teacher Created Materials, Inc. another good resource from Teacher Created Materials, Inc. is A Guide for Using Johnny Appleseed in the Classroom

If you have any activities you would like to share,