Apple Adventure Facilitation Guide
Pre-K / Early Intervention Ages: 4 Years Duration: 30 Mins
Apple Adventure Facilitation Guide
Core Framework 5-Domain Integration
MLU Growth
Expand 1-2 words into 3-4 word carrier phrases ("I pick big apple").
Communication
Expressive requesting ("want more"), core words, gesturing & labeling.
Cognitive
Color sorting (red/green/yellow), size sorting (big/little), 1-5 counting.
Gross & Fine
Reach high/squat low, pincer grasp with tongs, token placement.
Adaptive / Self
4-step hand washing, utensil/tongs self-feeding, cleanup routine.
30-Minute Structured Session Pacing
Interactive Whole-Group or 1:1 Clinical Flow
0-5 MIN
Welcome & Adaptive Routine: Hand Washing Lab
Adaptive / Self-Help
Guide child through 4-step routine: Water on โ Soap pump โ Scrub 10 sec โ Towel dry. Prompt child to sign or state: "Clean hands!" or "Turn water off."
5-13 MIN
Gross Motor Movement: The Orchard Tree Stretch & Stomp
Gross Motor + MLU
Actions: (1) Tip-toe stretch to pick high ("Reach high!"), (2) Deep squat to pick ground apples ("Squat down!"), (3) Apple stomp march in place. Pair each action with modeled sentence strips: "I reach up high" and "I pick red apple."
13-21 MIN
Cognitive & Fine Motor: Basket Harvest Sort & Count
Cognitive + Fine Motor
Provide toy apples or laminated cutouts with child-safe grabber tongs. Sort into 3 baskets (red, green, yellow) and 2 size bins (big vs. little). Child uses pincer grasp to count 1 to 5 into the basket while vocalizing: "One red apple in!"
21-27 MIN
Sensory Snack & Communication: Requesting & Tongs
Communication + Adaptive
Real apple slices (red & green) served in bowls. Child uses mini tongs or finger pincer to serve their own plate. Clinician withholds slices slightly to elicit requests: "Want sweet apple", "More green please", and wiping face with napkin.
27-30 MIN
Clean-Up Transition & Harvest Celebration
Adaptive + Closure
Sing clean-up chant while child places materials in tub and pushes chair in. Child points to communication board for final reflection: "All done apples!" Celebrate with an orchard star stamp.
Lesson Prep Kit & Materials Needed
โข Real or pretend apples (red/green/yellow)
โข 2-3 Plastic buckets/baskets
โข Preschool grabber tongs / tweezers
โข Apple Harvest Sorting Activity Mat
โข Visual AAC & Routine Board
โข Sliced apples + paper towels / napkins
Apple Orchard Explorers โข Teacher & Clinician Guide Page 1 of 2
MLU Expansion Scripts & Prompt Hierarchy
Evidence-based expansion techniques for typical preschool and speech-language therapy
Page 2 of 2
MLU 1-2 Word Baseline โ 3-4 Word Expansion Matrix
| Child Baseline (1-2 words) | Clinician Recast / Expansion | Strategy & Communication Function |
|---|
| "Apple!" | "I see red apple!" | Expansion: Add pronoun + color attribute (commenting). |
| "Pick it." | "Pick the big apple!" | Recast: Add size descriptor to target cognitive comparison. |
| "More." | "Want more green apple." | Carrier Phrase: Expand requesting using AAC visual strip. |
| "In." | "Put apple in basket!" | Spatial preposition: Verb + object + prepositional phrase. |
| "Done." | "I am all done!" | Sentence frame: Complete functional social closure. |
Least-to-Most Prompt Hierarchy (Fade Support as Child Succeeds) Wait 3-5 seconds after each prompt level
1. Natural Cue
Expectant pause with eye contact at the basket.
2. Visual / Gestural
Point to symbol strip or gesture toward big apple.
3. Verbal Model
"Say: 'I want sweet apple slice.'"
4. Hand-over-Hand
Guide tongs/pincer or direct touch on symbol.
30-Minute Session Observation & Data Collection Rubric
Child Name: ____________________ Date: _________
| Domain & Target Skill | Specific Observable Behavior | Score (I / V / P) | Notes / MLU Count |
|---|
| MLU & Language | Produces 3+ word utterance ("I pick red apple") with visual/verbal support. | [ ย ] | MLU = ____ words |
| Communication | Spontaneously initiates request or comment using speech, sign, or AAC strip. | [ ย ] | __ / 5 opportunities |
| Cognitive | Accurately sorts apples by color (3 options) and discriminates big vs. little. | [ ย ] | __ / 5 correct sorts |
| Gross Motor | Reaches upward on tiptoes and squats down smoothly without losing balance. | [ ย ] | Stable / Emergent |
| Fine Motor | Uses 3-jaw chuck or pincer grasp with tongs/fingers to grasp and drop apple. | [ ย ] | Pincer / Whole Hand |
| Adaptive / Self-Help | Follows 4-step handwashing sequence and places 3 items into bin at clean-up. | [ ย ] | Steps completed: __ |
* Key: I = Independent | V = Verbal / Visual Prompt | P = Physical / Hand-over-hand Assist Goal: 80% accuracy over 3 consecutive sessions
Apple Orchard Explorers โข Teacher & Clinician Guide Page 2 of 2
Apple Explorers Slides
Preschool Orchard Adventure
30 Minutes
Apple Orchard Explorers!
Move, Pick, Sort, Taste, and Talk Together
๐ Move & Stretch
๐งบ Sort Colors
๐ฃ๏ธ Talk Big Words
Self-Help Skill
Step 1: Clean Hands First!
Before We Touch Apples!
1
Water On
2
Soap Pump
3
Scrub Bubbles
4
Towel Dry
Our Words: "My hands are clean!"
Gross Motor Action
Grow Like an Apple Tree!
Whole Body Movement
1
Tiptoe Tall!
Reach high to branches
2
Sway in Wind!
Side to side balance
3
Squat to Roots!
Bend knees down low
Our Words: "I stretch up high!"
Gross Motor + MLU
Reach, Pick & Stomp!
Pick and Harvest
๐
Pick High!
Reach two hands up tall to grab a red apple!
"Pick red apple!"
๐
Squat Low!
Crouch to the grass to grab a green apple!
"Pick green apple!"
๐ฃ
Stomp Cider!
March feet strong! 1, 2, 3 stomp!
"Stomp the apples!"
Our Words: "I pick a big apple!"
Cognitive Sorting
Color & Size Harvest Match
Sort 3 Colors & 2 Sizes
๐ด
Red Basket
๐ ๐
Big & Little Red
๐ข
Green Basket
๐ ๐
Big & Little Green
๐ก
Yellow Basket
๐ ๐
Big & Little Yellow
Carrier Phrase: "I see a [big / little] [red / green / yellow] apple!"
Fine Motor + Self-Help
Tongs & Tasting Routine
Adaptive Snack Time
1
Squeeze Tongs
Pincer fingers open and close
2
Request Slice
"Want sweet apple"
3
Napkin Wipe
Wipe mouth clean
Our Words: "I want sweet apple slice please!"
Apple Harvest Activity Mat
Apple Harvest Sorting Mat
Pick, Sort, Count & Speak!
Name: ย
Date: ย
Cognitive Counting: Put 1 Apple on Each Number!
Count 1 to 5
1 โ one
2 โโ two
3 โโโ three
4 โโโโ four
5 โโโโโ five
๐ Red Basket
Big Red Apple
๐
Place BIG apple here
Little Red Apple
๐
Place LITTLE apple here
๐ Green Basket
Big Green Apple
๐
Place BIG apple here
Little Green Apple
๐
Place LITTLE apple here
๐ก Yellow Basket
Big Yellow Apple
๐
Place BIG apple here
Little Yellow Apple
๐
Place LITTLE apple here
Touch & Say MLU Carrier Strip: Tap each box as you say the word!
I point to self
PICK pinch tongs
BIG / LITTLE
RED / GREEN attribute
APPLE drop in basket
Apple Harvest Activity Mat โข Hands-on Sorting & Counting Page 1 of 2
Fine Motor Orchard Trails & Cutouts
Finger trace, pincer grip scissor practice, and token punch-outs
Page 2 of 2
Trace the Path from Orchard Tree to Harvest Basket!
Use finger or chunky crayon
๐ณ
๐งบ
๐
ใฐ๏ธใฐ๏ธใฐ๏ธใฐ๏ธใฐ๏ธใฐ๏ธ
๐งบ
๐
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
๐งบ
Orchard Cut-Out Manipulatives (Cut Along Dashed Lines)
Child or adult cut โข Sort onto Page 1
Big Red Apple
๐
โ๏ธ Cut big token
Little Red Apple
๐
โ๏ธ Cut little token
Big Green Apple
๐
โ๏ธ Cut big token
Little Green Apple
๐
โ๏ธ Cut little token
Big Yellow Apple
๐
โ๏ธ Cut big token
Little Yellow Apple
๐
โ๏ธ Cut little token
Occupational Therapy Tip: Have child pick up cut tokens with kitchen tongs or clothespins to strengthen the 3-jaw chuck / pincer grasp!
Adaptive OT Tip
Apple Harvest Activity Mat โข Fine Motor Trails & Cutouts Page 2 of 2
Apple Talk Communication Board
Apple Talk Communication Board
AAC Core Words, MLU Sentence Strip & Adaptive Routine Tracker
Aided Language Display Ages: 3-5
Point & Speak: 3-4 Word Sentence Builder Model 1 word above child's current MLU
1. Who I / WE point to chest
2. Action WANT / PICK reach or squeeze
3. Describe BIG / RED / MORE size or color
4. What APPLE / SLICE in basket / plate
Core & Fringe Vocabulary Grid
Pronoun Action Attribute Object Social
๐ I / ME
๐คฒ WANT
๐ SEE / LOOK
๐ค PICK / GET
โ MORE
๐ค HELP PLEASE
๐ STOP
๐ข GO / START
๐ BIG
๐ LITTLE
๐ด RED
๐ข GREEN
๐ APPLE
๐งบ BASKET / IN
๐ SWEET / CRUNCH
โจ ALL DONE!
Adaptive Routine Visual Schedule: Child Checks Off [ โ ] Each Step! Self-Help Independence
Step 1 ๐งผ WASH HANDS
Step 2 ๐ค USE TONGS
Step 3 ๐ TASTE & NAPKIN
Step 4 ๐งน CLEAN UP BIN
Apple Talk Communication Board โข Core Words & Adaptive Schedule Print on cardstock & laminate for dry-erase use