Which Apple Do You Like Best?

Which apple do you like best? Cual Manzana Te Gusto Mas?

 

The lesson at first glance seems simple: which apple tastes best: Red, green, yellow? Roja, verde,amarillo?

 

But stepping back, the lesson contains so much more. In two classrooms at the exact same time, students in the JFK Dual Language program were learning vocabulary in English and Spanish–red, roja; science–the life cycle of an apple; literacy–reading “Our Apple Tree” by Gorel Kristina Naslund; and math–at the end of the lesson students graphed and counted how many liked which color apples.

 

“We try to make our lessons engaging so that students have fun and make connections,” said Spanish Zone teacher Victoria DeJesus. ”By making connections between languages and subjects, students can better retain information and become more confident, lifelong learners.”

 

Brewster’s Bilingual Bears two-way dual language program is in its third year. Beginning in kindergarten, students receive instruction in both English and Spanish through a 50/50 weekly rotation. This innovative program helps build strong academic foundations in both languages while preparing students to thrive in a diverse, global community.

 

Students are seated at round tables with three bowls in the middle containing slices of red apples, green apples, and yellow apples. They are instructed to taste the red apple first, then the yellow, followed by the green. After that, depending on their preference–the students color in a happy face, medium face or a frown-y face in the color of that apple. 

 

“Me gusta la manzana roja,” said Cameron Hart.

 

Jacob Vega puckers his mouth–”how do you say sour in Spanish?”

 

DeJesus loves the opportunity for new vocabulary.

 

“‘Agrio!’ That’s a great word!”

 

“The green apple is sour. La manzana verde es agria,” said classroom aide, AnnaKaren Juarez.

 

Across the hall, students in the English Zone are also taste testing red, green and yellow apples.

 

Claire Faia, the teacher, is emphasizing apple vocabulary in English. She has a hand-drawn poster of an apple–capital A in red, with parts of the apple identified: skin, peel, stem, flesh, seed. 

 

At the end of Faia’s lesson, students voted by secret ballot for the most delicious apple: 4 for red, 5 for green and 9 for yellow. DeJesus’ class voted too: 4 for red, 9 for green and 8 for yellow. 

 

The lesson was a big hit, no matter how the apple was sliced–students used their senses, learned about apples and enjoyed this tasty aspect of the harvest season.