Apples to Apples

Activity Overview

To build an empathetic, tolerant, and caring society, it is our responsibility as adults to engage students in conversations about diversity and social justice, and to challenge conceptions of bias. With young children, these topics are often best approached through tangible objects and concepts they already understand. In this activity, students will observe, examine, cut, and paint with various apple halves. Through this hands-on work, they will identify the diverse qualities of the apples and how each apple, while different on the outside, looks similar on the inside. Using apples as a metaphor for diversity, students will draw parallels to their own lives.

What You Need

• 3-4 different colored apples (green, red, yellow, spotted)

• Knife

• Cutting board or plate

• Paint

• Paper plates

Steps

1. Preface activity with the read aloud The Artist who Painted a Blue Horse by Eric Carle. Students will have the opportunity to be an artist today, just as the character in the story book.

2. Set up the apples in a row and ask the first few guiding questions.

3. After discussing observations of the apples, with the help of an adult, cut each apple in half. Observe the inside and continue asking guiding questions.

4. Relate the observations of the apples to the student and the people in their life (family, teachers, peers) and how there are many differences among people. Note that though we may look different on the outside, we are similar on the inside (just like the apples). Discuss with the student how diversity is all around them, and how it is present in their life.

5. Set up the paper and paints for the student. Have them use one half of each apple as a stamp. Stamp each apple half in paint of choice, and onto paper. Observe the similarities and differences of each apple in the stamp. Set aside the art work to dry and revisit the concepts with the student later.

Guiding Questions

• Do we look the same? What’s different between you and I?

• Have you seen two people who look exactly the same before?

• What do you notice about these apples?

• What’s the same about these apples?

• What do you notice that’s different?

• Do you think the apples look the same on the inside?

• What do you think the inside will look like?

• What do you notice about the inside? Was your guess correct?

• How are we different on the outside? How are we similar on the inside?