Antisectarian

Fruit

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3. Fruit

Learning Outcomes

  • play cooperatively, take turns and share resources
  • express preferences appropriately
  • become aware of and respect the needs and feelings of others

We will know we have been successful if we

  • take turns and share
  • understand that we do not all like the same things but the things we like are similar

Purposes of the curriculum 3-18

To enable all young people to become

  • confident individuals able to develop and communicate their own beliefs and view of the world
  • responsible citizens with respect for others

Resources required

  • A selection of fruit cut into bite-sized pieces
  • Cards with pictures of each fruit - multiple copies of each. e.g.
Image of strawberriesImage of grapesImage of green applesImage of a melon

Graph as shown

Image of fruit

Choose fruits from a range of different countries, including some fruits that children are less likely to have seen or tasted, and you will have a further multicultural opportunity.

Time required
Anything from 10 - 15 minutes.

Method
Sit in a circle, either on chairs or on mats that define the space for each child. Tell each child the name of a fruit by alternately saying 'apple' or 'orange' around the circle. With children who have not played this kind of game before, two types of fruit are sufficient but more could be added with practice. Ensure that each child knows which fruit s/he has been allocated. Explain that when you say 'apple', all of the children who are apples must stand up and try to quickly find another seat and when you say 'orange', all of the children who are oranges must stand up and try to quickly find another seat. If you say 'fruit salad', all of the children change seats. If the children are familiar with this kind of game then one seat can be removed, so that in each turn someone will remain standing and will have a turn to call out 'apple', 'orange', or 'fruit salad'.

Explain that we are all going to taste some different kinds of fruit and choose which ones are our favourites. Pass around the first fruit to be tasted, praising children for taking a piece and passing the bowl to the next person, sharing kindly. Discuss the taste, colour and texture of the fruit. Repeat with each type of fruit. Ask each child to say which fruit was their favourite and to select a picture of that fruit. Discuss as each child takes their turn who they have chosen the same as and who they have chosen differently from. To add an extra literacy opportunity, and because children frequently look at the completed graph and want to know which one is theirs, ask children to write their name on the picture they choose.

Place the pictures in the appropriate places on the graph and discuss what the graph tells us. Explain that although we have different favourites, we all like fruits that are tasty and good for our bodies.

Links to Free-Play Activities
Display graph at snack table as a stimulus for discussion.

As children become increasingly familiar with interpreting information from graphs, it would be possible to create similar graphs on a variety of subjects, e.g.:

  • eye colour
  • hair colour
  • football teams supported
  • if you got to Sunday school / church / chapel / mosque / synagogue / none