Johnny Appleseed

John Chapman, better known to most as Johhny Appleseed, was born on this day in 1774 in Massachusetts. To celebrate, my kids and I enjoyed some of these tasty treats and read Johnny Appleseed, a book from the Folk Heroes series.

This particular Johnny Appleseed story tells about John Chapman's life as a peaceful apple seed planter. How he cared for everyone and dreamed of a land where apple trees blossomed everywhere, providing food for the hungry. He wore clothes made of sacks and a tin pot for a hat. It's been told he didn't wear shoes and travelled many miles barefoot. He was tough and friendly. Everyone liked Johnny, and many called him Friend. He created apple orchards in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. Many of the trees he planted still blossom, even after all this time.

Teachers and Homeschoolers: You can find an 8 day Johnny Appleseed lesson plan here. It is geared towards K through 2nd grade, but I'm sure many of the activities could be restructured for older children as well. There are printables, book recoomendations, snack ideas, and links to even more Johnny Appleseed resources. I hope you can find at least a few ideas to implement in your classroom.