Up to Our Elbows in Apples and... Happy Johnny Appleseed Day!

As you may have noticed, the classes at Escuela Montessori and Coronado Montessori are concentrating on apples this month!  The students have been learning about the different parts of the apple, the lifecycle of the apple, and varieties of apples, just to name a few learning experiences!

I heard through the grapevine, or should I say this news fell off the apple tree-- that the Elementary Class at Sunset has already started cooking delicious dishes with the abundant apples from their apple tree.  They made yummy cinnamon apple sauce, to take home in pretty canning jars. They also made pear muffins from their pear tree, but hey, this is about apples! 

At Coronado we have been tasting and analyzing our favorite varieties.  The popular vote seems to be leaning towards Granny Smith and Red Delicious.  We have also been observing Thing 1 and Thing 2 (our Primary/Elementary class painted desert box turtles) eating apple slices.  They seem to like any variety that is offered!  They also like cheese--who knew?  But we all know that an apple slice with cheese is quite delicious! 

The Primary/Elementary students at Coronado made Apple Crisp in the crockpot today!  It turned out delicious, and we are sharing the recipe with you.

 Apple Crisp in the Crockpot

8-10 medium baking apples (I like to use at least half granny smith for their tartness)
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
1 cup butter, softened (not melted)

Butter Crockpot on the bottom and up to the middle of the sides.

Peel, core and thinly slice apples, putting them into a bowl. Add lemon juice and stir, then pour apples into Crockpot.

In a separate bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix well.

Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in softened butter until combined and crumbly.

Spread on top of apples.

Cover top of Crockpot with paper towels at least two-thick (this will absorb much of the moisture and allow your crumb mixture to get just the right amount of crunchy) then top with lid.

Cook on high for 3 hours.

Serve with real vanilla ice cream or real whipped cream.

 

We cannot study apples without talking about Johnny Appleseed and his contribution to the young  American  frontier. 

A  fond American legend, Johnny Appleseed was a real pioneer apple farmer and folk hero in the 1800s.  His real name was John Chapman, and his dream was to plant so many apple trees that no one would ever go hungry.  He really was a careful, organized businessman, buying and selling tracts of land, and developing thousands of productive apple trees.  He was friend to all, including wildlife, knew many Indian languages, and spent most of his life traveling and planting apple seeds.  And . . .  for "parents only" -- some Johnny Appleseed trivia--apple trees grown from seed (vs. grafting) are usually sour, and good for cider and alcoholic purposes-- which may have explained why Johnny Appleseed was always welcomed at homesteads across the Midwest!    

Pictures of Peace in the Primary/Elementary Classroom at Coronado

September 21st was the International Day of Peace.  In 1981, the United Nations General Assembly established the International Day of Peace, which resolution 36/67 stated in part, " . .  to concentrate the efforts to promote the ideals of peace and to giving positive evidence of their commitment to peace in all viable ways."  The first International Day of Peace was celebrated in September 1982.

People all over the world celebrated in different ways.  People simply lit candles at noon, meditated, or did a good deed for someone they did not know.  Others attended public forums, concerts, and large events.

In our class the children talked about what peace means.  Great definitions were shared.  "Being nice."  "Not hurting people."  "Being a good friend."  "Loving people."  "Not being all crazy." 

We gathered in the afternoon and talked about peacemakers.  We talked about Maria Montessori, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Dalai Lama, and Jane Goodall.  We talked about how these people helped others to know more about what peace means.  The children wanted to know if these important people were still alive.  I told them some of these people are still alive, others have passed on.  One student said, "Oh, Ms. Beverley, so that's why they say, Rest in Peace, right?"  "Um, well, yes," I replied, "and even though they are resting in peace, we can actively follow their example, words, and actions."  I am thrilled with these deep thinkers!

Maria Montessori said of peace, "Peace is what every human being is craving for, and it can be brought about by humanity through the child."

Ms. Mayte's class at Sunset recited beautiful peace poetry: 

Peace is the world smiling
Peace is a gentle dove
Peace is sharing
Peace is caring
Peace is filling our world with love                               

On a side note, Ms. Jackie often brings our class "objects" that she finds for our discovery desk.  The children examine these objects under the magnifying glass--leaves, rocks, shells, snail shells--objects of nature.  Ms. Jackie brought us a beautiful specimen of a bumblebee-- gossamer wings, velvety stripes of bright yellow and black.  The bumblebee had, of course, passed away, and the children examined all parts, including finding the stinger.  One child was insistent that the bumblebee was not dead (although corrected by the others), but only asleep.  "Ms. Beverley, it's resting."  Hearing the opening for my internal punch line,  I mumbled under my breath, "Um, well, yes . . . . .  resting in peace!"