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 BIG QUESTIONS TO GUIDE STUDENT EXPLORATION

 

Here are some examples of Big Questions to guide student research in a unit based upon Johnny Appleseed.  These range from the seemingly simple to the complex: 

By the way, I'm just getting started!

What is an apple?

Why is New York City called the Big Apple?

Who was Johnny Appleseed, and why is he important today?

 

See below:

 

 1.  What is an apple?

  • Pollination process
  • Bees
  • Seeds
  • Chemical composition

2.  Where does our food come from?  This is equally applicable to secondary as well as elementary students.  Most just think "the grocery store".  But where did it originate, and how did it get there?

  • Horticulture and Botany
  • Orchards and organic orcharding
  • Pomology (the science of fruits;  a treatise on fruit; the cultivation of fruits and fruit trees.)
  • Processing and packing
  • Transportation
  • Supermarkets
  • Marketing (media literacy, economics, communications)
  • Physics - machines for apple products, from ancient to modern, including machines, the Industrial Revolution, printing labels, packaging, etc.

3.  What is the history of the apple tree?  This may include prehistoric, archeological findings, ancient Greece, ancient Rome, ancient Egypt, ancient China, early American history, Civil War era, immigration and geography.

4.  What is the relationship of the apple tree to humans through history, including a look at the impact on the environment when trees are planted.

  • Climate and weather
  • Global warming
  • Carbon footprinting
  • much more to add here!

5.  What are the connections between apples and health/nutrition (this may be viewed from ancient history through modern medical research.)  For example, cancer research, heart research, brain research, weight control, nutrition, cooking . . .

6.  What are traditions, myths, legends and folklore related to apples?

  • Greek, Roman, Egyptian mythology
  • Celebrations - blossom festivals, harvest festivals, Johnny Appleseed festivals
  • Halloween

7.  What service learning projects can be developed in this Johnny Appleseed unit?

  • Take political/community action to establish a park, save a tree, preserve an historical site, change or create a law.
  • Plant trees
  • Oral history project

8.  How do apples contribute to the economy in the United States and elsewhere?

  • Economics
  • marketing and advertising
  • Stock market
  • Careers
  • Statistics, Weights and Measurements
  • Consumer protection
  • Global issues related to agriculture, water, sustainable management and genetic development, etc. (see http://www.fao.org/ag/)

9.  Analyze the relationship between apple trees and current environmental issues and scientific developments.

  • Pesticides
  • Pest and disease life cycles
  • Carbon footprinting
  • Biodiversity
  • Genomics
  • Biotechnology
  • Evolution
  • Laws and research organizations related to foods, agriculture and the environment (local to global)
    • EPA - Environment Protection Agency
    • FDA - Food and Drug Administration
    • USDA - United States Department of Agriculture
    • HistoricTrees.org
    • USDA Forest Service
    • Orchards - in the US and around the world
    • Fruit growers associations
    • NEDI - National Environmental Data Index
    • Alternative fuels
    • More to come . . .

10.  Examine current social issues related to hunger, poverty and the environment.  Remember Johnny Appleseed's dream - to plant enough apple trees to ensure that no one would ever go hungry.  Some possible idea-starters and resources are:

  • FAO - Food and Agriculture Organizations of the United Nations - Statistics Division - Food Security Statistics
  • Plant a tree or plant an orchard
  • Plant a garden, cook and eat the vegetables, or donate to a local shelter
  • Hold a festival to learn, have fun and raise money

More to come . . . .