1. Ask the pupils to imagine an apple’s story
Ask the pupils to imagine an apple’s story. Give them 5-10 minutes to think about it. They could for example write their own short apple story, make a drawing or a mind map (Worksheet, question no. 1). Ask for some examples and discuss the different ways to depict an apple’s story (could be fiction or factual). Tell them that we are going to look at the real apple story now.
The story of an apple

2. 4 chapters are repeated again and again
4. The fruits are harvested,
transported and eaten.
1. Apple seeds turn into trees
4 chapters are repeated again and again
3. The flowers turn to fruits
2. The trees come into bloom
In this presentation, the apple production has been divided into four sections. This slide serves as an overview and a short cut to the four groups of slides. Ask the pupils where they would like to start? And click on the corresponding coloured oval.

3. Chapter 1: Apple seeds come into trees
These are apple seeds, but where did they come from?
From the core
Why do apples have seeds in the core?
|Amimated slide| 1. Ask where apple seeds come from. Click again to see the answer. Discuss why apples have seeds in the core:
This location of the seeds is advantageous in order to spread and protect the seeds. Humans can be used as an example. We fancy apples because of the sweet taste and we normally transport the apples away from the tree before we eat them. We do not eat the seeds (because they do not taste good) and therefore we serve as an optimal vehicle to spread the seeds. The discussion can be continued with topics like: Why is the earth not crowded by apple trees/what happens to the seeds? (The likelihood of a seed growing into an apple tree that bears fruit is very small. Not many seeds get planted and they are not equally viable).

4. Chapter 1: Apple seeds come into trees
In the winter apple seeds are planted in a pot. The seeds start to germinate and tiny apple trees grow up during the Spring. These are called seedlings.
Growth of the seedlings continues and when they are big enough they are pricked out to…?
The seeds are planted in pots and germinate the following spring. Red text is a quiz question which the pupils can answer during the presentation (Worksheet, question no. 2). For this question the answer is 2.: Seedlings are pricked out to the apple orchard.
A new bigger pot
An orchard
A forest

5. Chapter 1: Apple seeds come into trees
The orchard
Apple orchards consist of hundreds of apple trees. In England and Wales the total area of apple orchards corresponds to 15,166 football fields.
The trees live in the orchard from when they are 0 to about 12 years old.
Orchards can be big or small. Many apple varieties are grown in a single orchard (worksheet, question no. 3). Answer to quiz question is A: The most grown dessert apple varieties are Cox’s Orange Pippin followed by Gala and Jonagold.
Additional questions that can be discussed are: What happens to the trees when they are too old for the orchard? Why are they not kept longer? (Apple trees can be up to 100 years of age in theory but fruit quality and yield decreases with age and therefore it is not cost-effective to keep them long).
Which dessert apple variety is grown the most in the UK?
Cox’s Orange Pippin Jonagold Gala

6. 4 chapters 4. The fruits are harvested, 1. Apple seeds turn into trees
transported and eaten.
1. Apple seeds turn into trees
4 chapters
3. The flowers turn to fruits
2. The trees come into bloom

7. Chapter 2: The trees come into bloom
Small buds appear on the branches during the winter.
The buds are sleeping at first, which is called being “dormant”.

8. Chapter 2: The trees come into bloom
In the spring the buds open and small leaves appear behind the bud scales.
A change in temperature triggers the buds to open.
(The trees do not bloom the first 4-5 years when they are very young and fast growing. After that mixed buds develop that contain both leaves and flowers.)
The leaves grow bigger.

9. Chapter 2: The trees come into bloom
The leaves use sunlight to produce food for the tree so it can grow. This way of producing energy is called photosynthesis.
The role of leaves in tree growth. Explain photosynthesis and cellulose energy stores. Possibly, compare to the human diet, where cellulose is a source of dietary fibres.
Ask what appears in the middle of the leaves (the answer is on the next slide).
In the middle of the leaves something else appears.
What is this?

10. Flowers Chapter 2: The trees come into bloom
The outer layer of leaves surrounding the flowers are septals.
Just beneath this layer, the red petals appears.
Point out the location of septals and petals.

11. Chapter 2: The trees come into bloom
Apple trees bloom from early May to October depending on the variety. Why is this smart?
The petals slowly open to reveal some fine yellow stems that produces pollen.
At the bottom of the petals there is nectar.
The first question leads to a discussion about seasons for different apples and how different varieties can increase the total lengths of the season for fresh apples. On the picture in the middle, only one flower is open. This flower is called the King flower.
The answer to the second question is on the next slide (to give a hint, click on the speaker).
Nectar tastes good! For who?

12. 4 chapters 4. The fruits are harvested, 1. Apple seeds turn into trees
transported and eaten.
1. Apple seeds turn into trees
4 chapters
3. The flowers turn to fruits
2. The trees come into bloom

13. Chapter 3: The flowers turn to fruits
Bees pollinate the flowers by spreading the pollen from the yellow stem between all the trees in the orchard.
After pollination, the petals fall off and apples start to form beneath the flower remnants.
|Animated slide| Explain how bees and other insects are essential pollen disseminators for pollination.

14. Complete, crispy, delicious apples or…
Chapter 3: The flowers turn to fruits
The apples are not mature. They are small, sour and have a layer of hairs which protects them from cold weather.
Complete, crispy, delicious apples or…
What is wrong?

15. Chapter 3: The flowers turn to fruits
Unripe
Ripe
A ripe apple is primarily characterised by a colour change but sweetness and firmness are also important.
After about 2-4 months depending on the variety, the apples are ripe.
How can you recognise a ripe apple?

16. 4 chapters 4. The fruits are harvested, 1. Apple seeds turn into trees
transported and eaten.
1. Apple seeds turn into trees
4 chapters
3. The flowers turn to fruits
2. The trees come into bloom

17. Chapter 4: The apples are harvested and packaged
The apples are harvested manually and transported to big loading areas where they are sorted and packed.
Apples are normally harvested manually. They are packaged in central loading areas, where diseased and bruised apples are removed (these can be used for processing).

18. Chapter 4: Distribution
The apples are distributed to many places
Can you name some of them?
Supermarkets
Storerooms
Processing plants
Restaurants
Schools and workplaces
|Animated slide| Ask the pupils to draw or write places, where apples are distributed to (Worksheet, question no. 4).
Some answers appears by clicking the mouse. Go through them. What happens to the apples in each place? Is there a link between some of the places? (e.g. Processing plants produce products for supermarkets, apples are sold in supermarkets after storage).

19. Chapter 4: We buy the apples and eat them
Ask the pupils to write down or draw products that contain apples (e.g. juice, smoothie, apple sauce, stewed apples, cider, cakes) (Worksheet, question no. 5)
We do not only eat apples raw. How do we also eat apples?

20. 4 chapters 4. The fruits are harvested, 1. Apple seeds turn into trees
transported and eaten.
1. Apple seeds turn into trees
4 chapters
3. The flowers turn to fruits
2. The trees come into bloom