Little Vikings Get Ready for a Tasty Math and Science Adventure

Four-year-olds in Ms. Laurie Smailer’s class at Little Vikings Preschool put their math and science skills to the test with a delicious apple taste test!

As part of their September math unit, students are exploring important early math concepts including patterns, counting from one to five and using mathematical language to describe what they see, think and discover. Their upcoming apple investigation will give students an opportunity to put those skills into practice through a hands-on learning experience.

The apple taste test will combine math and science as students use their five senses to explore different apples. Students will have opportunities to look closely at the apples, feel their textures, smell them and, of course, taste them. As they explore, they will use words to describe their observations and share what they notice about the different apples.

The activity will also introduce students to graphing as they determine which apple is their favorite. After tasting the apples, students will work together to represent their preferences in a graph. This hands-on experience will help make an abstract math concept more meaningful by allowing students to collect information based on their own experiences and see the results represented visually.

“For young learners, activities like this provide opportunities to develop multiple skills at the same time,” said Dr. Elizabeth Cherico, Principal at Little Vikings. “Students will practice counting, recognizing patterns and using mathematical vocabulary while also learning how their senses can be used to make observations and explore the world around them.”

The apple investigation also encourages students to communicate their thinking. Through their participation in the activities, students are practicing how to describe what they notice, listen to the ideas of their classmates and explain their own thinking.

Most importantly, the experience gives students an opportunity to discover that math and science are all around them, including in something as familiar as an apple. By connecting classroom concepts to a fun, hands-on experience, Ms. Laurie’s class is preparing to learn, explore and, hopefully, enjoy a few tasty discoveries along the way!