2016MontanaCrunchTimeGuide 3

CrunchTimeatSchoolIncreaseInvolvementThemoregroupsandindividualsyoucangetinvolvedwithyourCrunchTimeevent,themoresuccessfulitwillbe!RecruitingvolunteerscanincreaseparticipationwhilesimplifyingtheCrunchTimecountdown.Parentsandotherhelperscanpickupapplesatacentrallocationintheschoolandassistwithclassroomactivities.Thefoodservicestaffcanbeavaluableresourceforthisproject.Besuretoaskiftheyhavethetimeandspacetohelpwithreceiving,washing,andpreparingapples.OrganizinganAssemblyRallysupportandincreaseexcitementforCrunchTimebyholdinganall-schoolassembly.Usethisasanopportunitytoaskforstudentandstaffvolunteerstoactasgrade-levelandclassroomleaders.CrunchTimeLeadersYoucanappointMontanaCrunchTimechampions.AnelectedstudentfromeachclassroomcanpickupapplesfromtheschoolofficeorcafeteriafortheirclassroomandhelpleadCrunchTimeactivities.Astudentcluborsportsteamcouldtaketheleadinpromotingtheeventandcoordinatingdistributionofapples.YoucouldassignCrunchTime“buddies,”puttingolderstudentsinchargeofdeliveringapplesandhelpingtoleadactivitieswithyoungerstudentstomakeMontanaCrunchTimeaschool-widecelebration.TakePhotosandVideosDon’tforgettoappointaparent,teacher,orstudenttoactasphotographerandcapturealltheactionofMontanaCrunchTime!Shareonsocialmediausing#MTCrunchTime!

CrunchStory–ButteSchoolDistrictAndiGiddings,FoodCorpsServiceMemberOnOct.24th,250studentsatEmersonElementaryinButte,crunchedintoPinkLadyMacintoshapplesfromSwanson’sMountainViewAppleOrchardinCorvallis,MontanaaspartofMontanaCrunchTime.

IworkedwiththeFoodServiceDirectorinButtetoordertheapplesaspartofourFreshFruitandVegetablePrograminwhichthreeschoolsreceiveafruitorvegetablesnacktwiceaweek.

Duringlunchthestudentseachputanappleinaciderpressandseehowciderismade.Allofthestudentslovedit!

IntheafternoonIledfourclassesallaboutapples.Theyoungerstudentsdidtastetestsofdifferentapples.Theolderstudentsdidanappleexperimentwheretheyplacedappleslicesindifferentenvironmentsandmonitoredtheratesatwhichtheyoxidized(turnedbrown).

Theprincipalcounteddowntothecollectivecrunchat2p.m.overtheschoolintercom.ManystudentsclaimedthatthePinkLadyMacintosheswerethebestapplestheyhadeverhad.OurCrunchTime2013wasasuccess!

2016MontanaCrunchTimeGuide 4

ConnecttotheClassroomCrunchingintothatappleisjustonepartoftheMontanaCrunchTimeexperience.Appleactivitiesintheclassroomwithhelpconnecttheeventtocurrentsubjectmatter.FeelfreetouseandadapttheMontanaCrunchTimeFunSheetforyourclassroom!EarlyChildhoodCareandEducationActivitiesForyoungchildren,theappletastingcanbeusedtosupportvocabularydevelopmentbyencouragingchildrentodescribehowtheappleslook,feel,smell,andtaste.Applesarealsoagreatwaytodiscussthepartsofafruitandhowtheygrow.Checkouttheseresourcesandapplethemedactivities:

http://www.ourcommunityourkids.org/media/2981/FarmtoPreK_Sept09_Apples.pdfhttp://www.creative-preschool-teaching-themes.com/preschool-apple-theme.htmlhttp://growing-minds.org/lesson-plans/apple-tasting-preschool/

Books:WhatGrowsinMyGarden:ApplesGrowonTrees.Rooney,Anne.QEBPublishing,2012.ApplesAtoZ.McNamara,Margaret.Scholastic,2012.

LowerElementary(K-3)ActivitiesForyoungerelementarystudents,applescanbeincorporatedintowriting,math,science,andartactivities.Checkouttheselessonideas:

http://aginmontanaschools.com/teachers.htmhttp://harvestofthemonth.cdph.ca.gov/documents/Fall/21712/Ed_News_Apples.pdf http://www.busyteacherscafe.com/themes/apples.html

UpperElementaryEducation(4-6)Forolderelementarystudents,applesfitrightintomathclass.Todemonstratefractions,askstudentstothinkaboutallthedifferentwaystocuttheirappleintoevenpieces.Havestudentslistallthefractionstheycancreateandtrytodevelopwordproblemswiththosefractions.Applesarealso“ripe”forscientificexperimentation.Studentscanperformbasicscienceexperimentstoevaluatetheripenessandstarchcontentoftheirapples.Considertheselessonideas:

http://ohioapples.com/pdf/4-6_teachersguide.pdfhttp://tinyurl.com/apple-utah

MiddleSchoolandHighSchoolEducationMontanaCrunchTimeisanopportunityformiddleandhighschoolstudentstoexploretheirlocalfoodsystem.Studentscancalculatehowfartheirapple(orvariousapples)hastraveledtogettotheirplate.Thisdemonstrationisagreatkickofftoanyagriculture,conservation,orfoodsystemlesson.Thefollowinglinkscanassistwithlessonplanning:

http://oklahoma4h.okstate.edu/aitc/lessons/upper/transport.pdfhttp://tinyurl.com/natural-resources-utah

2016MontanaCrunchTimeGuide 5

DecktheWallswithApplesThisfunandinformationalappleposter,developedbyMissionMountainFoodEnterpriseCenterisgreatforallagesandcanbeusedinthecafeteriaorclassroom.Orhavestudentscreatetheirownappleposters!http://www.lakecountycdc.org/Posters

ConnectWithYourCommunityMontanaCrunchTimeisanopportunitytoreachbeyondtheschoolwallsandconnectwiththeentirecommunity.Scheduleavisittoanorchardsostudentscanseefirsthandwhatittakestogrowapples.Alternately,inviteanorchardistorlocalfarmertovisityourschoolandsharetheirfarmingexperiences.Inviteafoodproducertocomeeatlunchwithkidsorhelphandoutapplestheygrew.Askalocaldietitianordoctortosharethebenefitsandimportanceofeatingfruitsandvegetables.Nutritionorhealthprofessionalscansharewhyandhowanapplefitsintoahealthy,balanceddiet.Localcollegestudentsinvolvedinnutritionoragricultureprogramswouldbegreatguestspeakersoractivityleadersaswell.InviteanumberoflocalcommunityleaderstocelebrateMontanaCrunchTimewithyou.ContactyourlocalchamberofcommercetoconnectwithlocalbusinessownersorinvitemembersoftheschoolboardtoyourCrunchTimeevent.Letlocalnewspaperandtelevisionreportersknowaboutyoureventbysendingapressrelease(seebelow)andinvitethemtocomejoininthefun.Whowillbeyour“crunchcelebrity?”

2016MontanaCrunchTimeGuide 6

EasyApplesauceGetkidsinvolvedinmashingapplesforafunandeasytreat.Source:HarvestforHealthyKids(www.harvestforhealthykids.org)Makes4-6servingsIngredients4mediumapples(recommended:FujiorGalavariety)1cupwater�1/4tspcinnamon�1/8tspnutmeg1.Peelandsliceapples,removingthecore.Leavingthepeelonwithresultinchunkierapplesauceandwillretainmorenutrientsandcolor.�2.Placeinpot.�3.Addwater,cinnamon,andnutmeg.�4.Bringtoaboilandletsimmeruntilmushy.�5.Letchildrenuseamashertomashuptheapplesintoasauce.�6.Setasideandletcool.7.Servewarmorchilled.�

DidYouKnow?•ApplesareagoodsourceoffiberandcontainmanyvitaminssuchasvitaminCandpotassium.•Potassiumisanelectrolyteandisneededformanyfunctionsinthebody,includingheartfunction.•Plantingtheseedfromyourfavoriteapplevarietywillnotgrowthatsamevarietyandwilllikelyproduceapplesthatarebitter.Togetadesiredvarietyofapple(suchasSweetSixteen),the trees have to be grafted.Thismeanstakingabranchfromthedesiredvarietyandattachingittoaroottoformanewtree.

ThefirstappletreeinMontanawasplantedintheBitterrootValleyin1866!

HarvestoftheMonthApplesaretheHarvestoftheMonthforNovember!TheMontanaHarvestoftheMonthprogramfeaturesadifferentMontanagrownfoodinMontanaschoolsandcommunitieseachmonth.Learnhowtobecomepartofthisfunprogramatwww.montana.edu/mtharvestofthemonth.

2016MontanaCrunchTimeGuide 7

ColorYourFavorite!Over2,500varietiesofapplesaregrownintheUnitedStates.Theycomeinmanyshadesofred,green,yellow,andmore!TheyhavemanyfunnamesincludingBraeburn,PinkLady,andSpartan.Learnaboutotherapplevarietiesathttp://www.orangepippin.com/apples.Coloryourfavoritevarietyontheappleoutlinetotheright.

ForMoreInformation:www.montana.edu/mtfarmtoschoolThisresourcewasadaptedfromtheAppleFactSheetcreatedbyAndiGiddings,FoodCorpsMontanaServiceMemberinButte,Montana.

Join preschools, schools, colleges and individuals across Montana in celebrating Food Day and National Farm to School Month by crunching into locally and regionally grown apples on

October 24th at 2:00pm MST.

For more information about Montana Crunch Time, to register and receive your guide, visit

opi.mt.gov/Farm2SchoolBe sure to collect a “crunch byte” (video, photos, or audio) to share!

NutritionMontana

Location: Local Host:

OctoberisNationalFarmtoSchool

Month!Howareyoucelebrating?