Third graders at Oquenock Elementary School celebrated Johnny Appleseed Day on Sept. 25 with hands-on activities that brought learning to life through apples, creativity and STEM.

The day featured activities across several subject areas, giving students opportunities to explore science, technology, engineering, math and literacy while learning about the story of Johnny Appleseed.

In the STEM lab, students put their engineering skills to the test with a special challenge: design an apple scooper using only paper and tape. Working with a partner, they designed and built devices capable of picking up an apple that was out of their reach. Students tested their creations and worked together to solve problems and improve their designs.

The apple-themed learning continued in the classroom. Students read about Johnny Appleseed and explored different varieties of apples through a taste test. They recorded their preferences and created a pictograph to represent their findings. Third graders also incorporated math into the celebration through apple-themed math activities before putting their culinary skills to work by making homemade applesauce.

Through a combination of reading, math, STEM, collaboration and hands-on exploration, Johnny Appleseed Day gave students a fun way to learn while celebrating one of the most recognizable symbols of fall.