Planning an Apple Day celebration and want to include a writing activity? These five apple writing ideas are perfect for first grade and give you a variety of ways to bring seasonal writing into your lesson plans. You’ll find options for whole-group writing, centers, science integration, and even display-ready projects.
Since this is the beginning of the year, shared and interactive writing on your easel would also be appropriate if your students are not ready for independent writing.
To make these activities easy to implement, we’ve created a set of free apple writing paper you can download and print. It includes 36 pages of regular and primary unlined paper, drawing space, and writing prompts.
If your students are writing a how-to about applesauce or describing the parts of an apple after a science activity, you’ll have the right page ready. This paper works well for centers, early finishers, science notebooks, or whole-group instruction during your Apple Week or Apple Day celebration. Go grab it here.
1. Apple Investigation Journals
Turn your fall apple activities into a writing opportunity by having students create simple science booklets. Conduct some apple science experiments, like exploring apple parts, testing apple buoyancy with “sink or float”, or graphing taste test results. Students can record what they learned using drawings, labels, or simple sentences.
To make the booklets, fold a few pages of writing or drawing paper and staple them inside a piece of red or green construction paper. Label the front cover with “My Apple Science Book” and let students decorate it. Use this as part of your Apple Day or spread the activities out during your fall science plans. It’s an easy way to tie writing into science.
You can use this journal alongside any of the activities in our 6 Apple Science Experiments for First Grade blog post. It’s a great way to help vocabulary development and it’ll be a fun part of your Apple Week.
2. Classroom Recipe Book
Make applesauce or a no-bake apple snack together as a class. Then, have students write their version of the recipe using step-by-step instructions and illustrations. You can also turn it into a shared writing activity by modeling each step on your easel while students contribute ideas.
Applesauce is a great choice for this—it’s simple, it smells amazing while it cooks, and your students will be excited to try it. If you need an easy recipe that works well in a crock pot, check out our Apple Day blog for a full breakdown.
Once everyone has written their version, collect the pages and turn them into a classroom cookbook to send home or display.
3. Apple-Themed Writing Centers
Set up an apple-themed writing center that differentiates for the various writing skills in your classroom. This Apple Writing Center offers 26 apple writing ideas and a variety of activities that scaffold to meet the diverse needs of your learners. It’s designed to help students turn their apple facts into engaging writing pieces while developing their writing skills.
Included in the Apple Writing Center:
- Apple Picture Cards
- Apple Vocabulary Word Mini-book
- Apple Word Spinner for “spin and write” activities
- Various apple templates with differentiated lines. Students can write words, sentences, or paragraphs, depending on their writing skills.
This apple writing center is ideal for independent writing at the start of the school year and can be seamlessly integrated into your Apple Day activities.
4. Collaborative Class Books
Class books are a great way to learn writing skills together. Choose a fun apple-themed writing prompt, and have each student contribute one page. After everyone has added their writing and illustration, bind the pages together to create a book you can revisit all season.
Here are a few simple apple writing ideas to try:
“If I Were an Apple…” – Students imagine what kind of apple they’d be, where they’d grow, and what adventures they might have.
“The Day an Apple Fell on My Head” – Each student writes a short story imagining what happened when an apple fell on their head. Did it surprise them on the playground? Did they decide to make applesauce with it?
“Our Apple Recipes” – Students share their own applesauce or snack recipes using simple steps and drawings.
Display your books in your classroom library, or read them aloud during your Apple Day celebration. These shared writing projects give every student a chance to contribute and take pride in their work.
5. Apple Report Writing
After reading a nonfiction apple book like How Do Apples Grow? by Betsy Maestro, write an apple report using shared writing. This is a simple, structured way to introduce research writing in first grade without overwhelming your students.
Each mini-report can include:
- 3–5 apple facts written in complete sentences
- A labeled diagram of an apple with parts like stem, skin, core, and seeds
- A fun fact they found interesting or surprising
Display the report in the hallway so others can see what your class is learning.
Looking for more apple-themed books to use as research tools? Here’s a list of 21 apple read alouds that are perfect for starting your apple writing activities.
Getting Started With Your Apple Writing Ideas
These apple writing ideas give your students the opportunity to write, create, and connect across subjects. If you’re modeling writing as a class or encouraging students to write independently, they’re still learning how to organize ideas, use complete sentences, and add details.
Want to use free writing paper for your apple writing activities?
Download your Free Apple Writing Paper here to get 36 pages of apple-themed writing paper and prompts—perfect for every one of these apple writing ideas.
Related Apple Ideas For The Classroom
First Grade Apple Day Activities
Looking for a full day of apple-themed fun? This post gives you everything you need to plan writing, reading, and science activities all in one place.
6 Apple Science Experiments for First Grade
Hands-on, low-prep science experiments perfect for first graders. From apple volcanoes to labeling the parts of an apple, these are a great addition to your Apple Week.
Apple Read Alouds for First Grade
A list of 21 apple-themed children’s books organized by category—great for science tie-ins, SEL discussions, or cross-curricular lessons.
Need a copy of How Do Apples Grow?
This nonfiction book is great for introducing your apple writing report.
Click here to view it on Amazon
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