When most people think of apple-themed classroom activities, their minds jump to crafts, taste tests, finger painting and other activities for the primary grades. While those are great for little learners, I believe that apple activities absolutely have a place in upper elementary—you just have to level them up.

Over the years, I have tied apples into science, reading, writing, and even STEM—without sacrificing the rigor my big kids need. Whether you’re looking for something festive for September, planning a mini-unit around Johnny Appleseed, or just want to bring some seasonal flair to your content areas, there are all kinds of fun ways to incorporate apples into your upper elementary lessons! Here are some of my favorite apple-themed activities that your 3rd–5th grade students will still find meaningful, engaging, and fun.

1. Launch a STEM Challenge with an Apple Twist

One of my favorite fall STEM activities is an Apple Boat Challenge. I have my kids design and build boats using apple pieces and other simple materials, testing their creations to see if they’ll float and hold weight.To give the activity even more depth, I love pairing it with a reading passage that sets the stage for the challenge. If you’re short on prep time, my Apple Boat with Close Reading STEM Challenge includes everything you need—from the reading passage and comprehension questions to a parent letter, graphic organizers, and even a sample design to spark ideas. It’s the perfect way to combine ELA and science and kick off some great teamwork in your classroom.

2. Dive Into the Life Cycle of Apples with Collaborative Learning

If you’re teaching life cycles in science this fall, apples are a perfect real-world example. Instead of using traditional worksheets, try having your students create a collaborative apple life cycle research poster. Each student contributes one piece of the puzzle, and together they create a stunning visual that reinforces their learning and shows how all parts of the life cycle are connected.I love this activity because it encourages teamwork, accountability, and ownership, all while creating something beautiful you can display on a hallway or bulletin board.

3. Introduce Tall Tales with Johnny Appleseed

Johnny Appleseed is more than just a historical figure—he’s a fun, memorable way to introduce the tall tale genre. His story includes all the hallmarks of a good tall tale: exaggeration, larger-than-life adventures, and a mix of legend and fact.

One of my favorite ways to explore tall tales is with my Johnny Appleseed Tall Tales Resource Pack. It includes a rich reading passage, vocabulary, comprehension questions, graphic organizers, a writing rubric, and 5 tall tale writing prompts. It also has tons of activities to help students identify exaggeration, analyze the story structure, and create their own tall tales. When their done, you could even extend your bug kids learning by letting them complete a Tall Tale Research Pennant!

I stuffed this pack with some of my favorite ideas that make reading and writing instruction feel seasonal, relevant, and fun. And if you’re working on genre studies, this unit also comes as party of a bundle that includes other tall tale resources, so you can keep the momentum going all fall long.

4. Host a “Fact vs. Fiction” Activity

After learning about Johnny Appleseed as a tall tale, it’s a great ideas to ask your students to research the real John Chapman. Then, hold a fun “Fact vs. Fiction” debate or sorting activity. What parts of the story were true? Which ones were clearly exaggerated? I’ve found this to be an awesome way to integrate social studies, nonfiction reading, and critical thinking.

5. Use a Picture Book to Dig Deeper into Literacy Skills

I love using Johnny Appleseed by Steven Kellogg as a read-aloud during apple season. It’s beautifully illustrated and blends legend with history in a way that captures students’ attention.To make the most of the book, I created a picture book companion resource that includes everything from story maps and vocabulary work to sequencing activities, comprehension questions, and writing prompts. There’s even a book review pennant craft that students love completing and displaying. It’s a great way to bring in reading strategies like theme, main idea, and text structure—all while working with an engaging fall-themed text.

6. Take It Outside with Apple Math or Observations

If you’re lucky enough to live near an apple orchard, consider a field trip. If not, bring apples into the classroom for some real-world measurement and math activities. Students can estimate weight, circumference, or even seed count—and then gather data, graph their results, and write math reflections. You could also have them do short scientific observations or descriptive writing based on their senses.

Apple-themed activities don’t have to be fluffy or juvenile. With the right mix of content and creativity, they can be deeply educational, cross-curricular, and completely appropriate for your upper elementary students.

Save These Ideas for Later

With cooler fall weather just around the corner, there is no better time to think about ways to incorporate meaningful apple themed activities into your instruction, even for big kids. Feel free to save these ideas to one of your favorite Pinterest boards so that you can easily refer back to them when you are ready to apple spice up your instruction.