How to Make an Apple Pie (FIAR)

A little fun with lots of learning-1st try at apple bopping 

So we have finished our first week of homeschool and my first book of Five in a Row: How to Make an Apple Pie and Travel the World by Marjorie Priceman. It is a cute book about a girl who travels the world to get the ingredients to make apple pie. So here is our row:

Math:

Various farm theme math sheets for cheap Grade 1 workbooks 

3 part apple math cards from 1st Grade Parade 

Measuring Trees printable from 2 Teaching Mommies

Odd & Even Apple Trees from 1st Grade Parade

Ripe Math was also a printable from 1st Grade Parade. 

We asked 25 people what their favorite type of fruit pie is and then made a pie graph. We also did a lot of introduction to fractions as well. 

Social Studies:

This idea came from Delightful Learning. We took the manipulatives from our sensory bin (you can see that here) and placed them on our world map.

Paper Plate Globe from Mrs. T's First Grade 

We did all the maps from the How to Make an Apple Pie lapbook from homeschoolshare and the Vermont coloring sheet from Crayola

We love this song on Youtube to teach the names of the continents

We also studied about Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman). What a truly amazing American. Here "A" is writing about how he would throw a party for Johnny Appleseed. He had to know some of his likes to answer the questions. 

We also filled out this Look Who is Famous informational sheet. I think we will use this sheet for all amazing people we learn about. You can find it at homeschool creations.

Literacy:

This is our poetry journal which I will do a complete post about in awhile. He highlights high frequency words and illustrates it. Here is with apple paint prints. 

Our apple picking sight word game. I took the idea of my popcorn game and wrote our high frequency words on apple prints and wrote the word Rot for the word to send the apples back. Check out my popcorn post on how to play.

We had a vocabulary word each day that he wrote on apples and defined: harvest, acquaintance, crop, coax 

I love this KWL chart from 1st Grade Parade

Sequence Cards from Fiarcircle

We did a comparison of the All in Just One Cookie to How to Make an Apple Pie and mapped where the books got their ingredients. 

This isn't the best picture but he had to write an alternate ending to How to Make an Apple Pie. What if he really wanted vanilla ice-cream. What would he need and where would he go. The only thing extra is vanilla which in All for one Cookie we learn he could go to Madagascar if he wanted-s that is what he did.

Science:

He labeled the parts of an apple. This printable is from here 

I got this idea from Mrs. T's First Grade. I love the art component. 

This is a salt evaporation experiment that is in the Five in a Row Volume 1 book. The worksheet is part of the lapbook at HomeschoolShare.

This experiment I read on Pinterest and can't find the owner. Let me know if it is you. Take one clean apple slice and then drop another, rub your hands on it, etc and see which molds fastest. Great way to discuss germs!

Of course we made an apple pie! This is part science and math. We also made homemade applesauce because I love it! 

We also had to do an apple tasting. This is great to do for once for everyone. "A" loved the sour and hated the sweet-me complete opposite!

Art:

We studied still life paintings. Did you know that apples symbolized knowledge and in religious paintings it represented temptation? Here is our set up-we ran out of red apples so we had to imagine.

Here is"A's" finished piece using watercolor pastels. 

Here is my still life. I love how this is something we can learn to do together. We are both students. 

Other Resources we used:

Tasting the Rainbow

A few weeks ago I was observing a 2nd grade classroom during a nutrition lesson. At the end of the lesson on fruits and veggies all the students did a vegetable tasting of all the colors of the rainbow. I was shocked to discover that NONE of the students complained and everyone tried all of the different veggies. There wasn't an, "Ewww Yuck" even murmured. Well if these 2nd graders could do it, so could my son! Today as I was getting my fruits and veggies prepped for juicing (more on that below) I made him a rainbow of produce for him to have a little tasting of.

Not pictured but in the green was also a spinach leaf

Half way done

Some tasting rules: 1) You need to try a bite of everything. 2) If you don't like it set it aside and try something else 3) If you have nothing nice to say don't say anything at all. 4) If you don't like it commit to try it again another day. 5) If you don't like what you tried for that color find another fruit or veggie within the same color band. 6) Make it fun!

"A's" breakfast creation this morning

Benefits of tasting the whole rainbow: 1) We should have a minimum of 5 fruits and veggies a day, but you can never have too many! 2) Fruits with the same color tend to have the same vitamins and minerals. For example, carrots and cantaloupes both have Vitamin A which help your eye sight. If you only eat the same color of fruits and veggies you are missing out on some vital vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.3) Studies have shown people could cure high blood pressure, Type-2 diabetes, high cholesterol, some autoimmune diseases and even stop cancer growth by eating a plant-based diet.

With all of these health benefits and more I have been making a conscious effort to eat a nearly vegan lifestyle. What does that mean? Well, I am choosing to eat a mostly vegan diet except I am allowing myself two dinners a week to eat meat and cheese if I want to. To take it one step further I am choosing to only drink fruit and veggie juice during the day and then have a healthy meal with my family for dinner. Before people start leaving me comments I just want to say that I am over 100lbs over weight, have medical problems, and did some research. Two of my most favorite documentaries are Forks over Knives and Fat,Sick, and Nearly Dead both currently on Netflix streaming. My family has a very high history of colon cancer and heart problems. I need to make a change to be a positive example to my children and live to be over 70 (a rarity in my family). I am in no way judging or being on a soapbox. I love meat and cheese! I have just decided to make this lifestyle change for me.

What is on my menu today (grapes, strawberries, clementines, spinach, kale, pineapple, cantaloupe, kiwi, cucumber, apples, carrots, and cabbage). I would definitely say I have the whole rainbow represented.

No matter what your diet consists of I would encourage you to do a veggie and fruit tasting for you and your children. Commit to trying a fruit or veggie you have never had before. I just tried kale for the first time. Not a huge fan but can add it to my fruit juice and it doesn't bother me. Prepare your produce in different ways. What is the worst that can happen? You may actually like it!

Cookie Break

Sorry I haven't blogged much lately. I am at the crucial part of Student Teaching where I am teaching full days and trying to work on my exit project for graduation. All while I began packing for our big move to Alaska in 7 weeks. I have been neglecting my Mommy super powers and haven't done much supplementing at home. I have mustered enough energy to read with "A" most nights. I am so proud of him. He went into Kindergarten with no reading other than the word cat under his belt, and now he is reading level H books (end of 1st grade). I can't get him to pass his second grouping of sight words though.

As busy as I am some times it is fun just to take a time out. "A found a Valentine's Day Sugar Cookie Decorating Kit. The easiness appealed to me and it was a blast just to spend that quality time together, plus the cookies didn't taste bad either ;o)

I am looking forward to having more moments like this with the boys in late Spring in our new home. I am hoping we can get a playroom and that I can start Tot School. If you don't hear from me please know that once summer nears I will return to blogging with some ferocity.

World's Easiest, Healthiest Quiche

Okay, so I don't know if it is technically a quiche, but everything else is true. Did I mention besides being healthy and easy it also is cheap to make and can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for about 5 days-making school mornings a breeze! It's all true!!!

Buy the reduced-fat crescent roll from Pillsbury or the generic brand (found in fridge section). Roll it out as one sheet and put in a casserole dish (spray dish with PAM first). Pinch all the edges together so it looks like one solid sheet of dough. If it goes up on the edges of the dish a bit that is okay. Then put in whatever toppings you want on top of the dough. I made one with broccoli and another with diced ham. Then you pour the whisked eggs on top. When I make it in a casserole dish I used 6 eggs. This last patch I put the dough on two glass pie dishes so I only used 4 eggs each. You can use Eggbeaters to cut down on calories (or a half eggs and half Eggbeaters). It will look runny and cover your topping and dough. Don't worry it will turn out great. Next comes some shredded cheddar sprinkled on top of the runny eggs. Pop into a preheated oven of about 350 degrees. Wait until the eggs are completely set (about 15-20 minutes). The broccoli will need to cook a smidge longer than the ham because of the added moisture. Take out and let cool. You can cut pie shapes out and it will totally hold its shape. Most mornings I grab a piece from the fridge, nuke about 30 seconds, grab a napkin and go. You don't even need a fork. Of course, you can eat it on a plate with a fork to be fancy ;o).

I love to make these 4 ingredient dishes Sunday night, so all week I can grab a piece for the kiddos with a half banana and Go-Gurt. They have a totally healthy breakfast that literally took me about one minute to make. What a time saver! You can also have it for Brunch or dinner with a nice side salad.

A piece of each-don't mind if I do! I wanted you to see what they look like on a cross-section.

Ham and Cheddar Quiche

Cheddar and Broccoli Quiche

If any of you think of different combo's please let me know. I would love to try it!

Christmas Food Gifts

This month my boys have been continously little sickos. It is never ending fevers, coughs, sore throats, body aches, etc. Due to that,  the fact I am preparing for Student Teaching and my hubby is away in Alaska I am going SUPER SIMPLE for Christmas this year. One thing I am doing for loved ones is making some food gifts, thanks to ideas from Pinterest.

#1) Rudolph Hot Cocoa Sets:

You are suppose to take frosting piping bags (but I just used sandwich baggies). Fill then up with some hot chocolate, then tiny marshmallows, tiny chocolate chips, and some Christmas sprinkles. Tie a bow with a brown pipe-cleaner. Add stick on eyes and a red pom. Viola-two cups of cocoa. I would not that I don't like the baggies and will be looking for the piping bags as I make more.

 #2) Reindeer Mix (aka Chex Buddy Mix):

I have had Buddy Mix before but never made it myself. Holy Cow it is easy. The recipe can be found at the back of most Chex cereal boxes. It calls for 9 cups of Rice Chex (less than one big box). Melt 1 cup of chocolate chips, 1/2 cup of peanut butter, and 1/4 cup of butter all together in the microwave (about one minute). Mix them together and then mix it with the Chex cereal. Next add powder sugar to coat them. I then added some red & green M&M's (hence the reindeer mix). After putting some in individual serving Ziplocks I stabled some Christmas scrapbooking paper to make labels. Then if you want you can print Christmas notes to glue on.

"Gingerbread" Forest

I have to admit but I have the WORST luck making gingerbread houses. They always fall apart before I even get the candy on. More often than not the boys and I have high hopes of an adorable creation, but out of complete frustration of trying to keep the roof from caving in we just pig out and forget our dream Christmas houses.

Then I came across a brilliant idea on Pinterest to have a cute decorated creation with no worries of making walls stay up. We decided to take sugar cones and turn them upside down to make a forest of Christmas trees. It was so much fun not having to worry if it would break or not. We decorated it the same way we would a gingerbread house. I have to admit they were pretty tasty as well. However, this time we didn't eat them out of frustration but because they looked too yummy to resist!

Some of our supplies

Can't contain the excitement-do you see baby sneaking treats

I had to let him in on the action!

Turkey Cake & other Cake Ideas

Baking is not one of my favorite things. However, I am known to occasionally make cakes and decorate them. Nothing too spectacular, mind you. My cake and frosting is out of a box, and  by decorating-I mean adding tons of candy. Most of the people in my family don't like Pumpkin Pie (they are crazy!) so we have some type of chocolate dessert. This year I volunteered to have "A" and me make a chocolate cake decorated like a turkey. The original idea is by Betty Crocker but you can see another version at Lifehackers as well. I have done it years past and the brilliance is candy covers a multiple of sins. Just get creative and use what you got. For example, my cake feet didn't work so I just added more candy! It is a great family tradition for my boys to help put on the candy (as they sneak some of course).

I taught "A" how to crack eggs-he was so proud!

Of course you have to let them stir!

The finished cake (candy corn, M&M's, and Reese's Pieces)

Sneaking the candy-he has a MAJOR sweet tooth!

With other holidays coming up here are some other cakes I have done in the past:

Birthday Train: Another Better Crocker Recipe. I have used this same cake and decorated it as a Christmas Train. I don't have a picture but the candy on the train below is similar to how I did it. However, I think I frosted the cars green, red, and white. Great for your Polor Express lover.

This is not my cake and uses a train mold. Just wanted to show the x-mas candy idea (which I have done). This is done over at As I See It.

Thinking of doing something like this for this year. However, thinking gum drops, red licorice ropes, and other fun things. I love choosing how I am going to decorate. This also shows that if I am going to make it I have to be able to cut it from a normal cake shape...no molds or fancy tools for me.

Okay I lied, I do have a heart mold. This cake is by freakgirl but ours is very similar. In fact, "A" makes this cake for me every Valentines Day or Birthday...with lots of red gummy hearts on top.

That is some of our ideas. The point is to be creative and have fun with it. Do any of you decorate cake with candy? Love to hear what you tried!