How to Make Apple Pie Play Dough
Fun Kids Cooking Activity for Apple Themed Lesson Plan Units
Jul 14, 2009
Making apple pie play dough is a fun kids’ activity that primary teachers can include when planning an apple themed unit. Kids can make apple pie play dough at the beginning of September to kick off a month of apple lessons, on September 26th to celebrate Johnny Appleseed’s birthday, or in March in honor of Johnny Appleseed’s death.
During an integrated apple or Johnny Appleseed unit teachers plan apple themed lessons in multiple subject areas. Apple pie play dough is an activity that can be used to complement a variety of elementary apple lessons. Kids can make play dough as part of a reading lesson or during a math and science cooking lesson.
Apple Pie Play Dough Ingredients
- 4 cups of flour
- 1 cup of salt
- 4 cups of water
- 4 tablespoons of oil
- ½ cup cream of tartar
- 1 container (1 ½ oz.) apple pie spice
- Red food coloring (optional)
How to Make Apple Pie Play Dough
- The students measure the ingredients and place them all into a large sauce pan.
- The teacher places the pan on stove and cooks and stirs the ingredients over medium-low heat.
- The apple pie play dough is ready when the dough is fully formed and no longer sticky.
- The teacher removes the pan from the heat and allows it to cool before either using it or storing it in an airtight container.
Apple Pie Play Dough Math and Science Cooking Lesson
Elementary teachers can use the apple pie play dough recipe to teach kids about measurement and cooking. Teachers show the students the play dough recipe and point out the cup and tablespoon measurements.
The elementary kids look at a 1 cup and a ½ cup measuring cup and practice using the cups to measure 1 cup and ½ cup of various materials such as oatmeal or popcorn. The teacher then shows the class a tablespoon measuring spoon and the students practice using it. When it is time to make the apple pie play dough the teacher has student volunteers measure and add the ingredients.
Apple Pie Play Dough Reading Comprehension Lesson
During an apple themed unit elementary students can read The Story of Johnny Appleseed by Aliki [Aladdin, 1971] to learn about the life of Johnny Appleseed. After the students read and discuss the book they use the apple pie play dough to create their favorite scene from the story. Creating a scene from the story allows the teacher to assess the students’ comprehension of the story.
Apple pie play dough is a great activity for an apple themed unit. Teachers can use the play dough recipe to teach kids about measurement during a math and science cooking lesson or have the students use the play dough to recreate a scene from The Story of Johnny Appleseed. After the lessons are over, the each kid can take the sweet smelling apple pie play dough home for even more fun.
Elementary teachers can read Johnny Appleseed Elementary Lesson Plan, Elementary Apple Themed Lesson Plans, and Fall Leaf, Apple, and Pumpkin Writing Prompts to help create a comprehensive apple themed unit.
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