Flat Aggie: All About Maple Syrup

With each Flat Aggie report, I’ll be putting together a list additional resources, websites, recipes, books, and activities. Use this with Flat Aggie’s reports from Battel’s Sugar Bush.  Maple Syrup Farmer Math brings these Agmazing Adventures to life!

Classroom Activities & Resources

From New York Ag in the Classroom: activities, worksheets, videos, smart board lessons and more

Lesson Plan from teachers Connie Groh and Colleen Lind

From PennState Extension: (book) From the Woods, Maple Syrup, A Taste of Nature

From HomeSchool Share: Maple Syrup Lapbook

Books

• Why Christmas Trees Aren’t Perfect by Richard H. Schneider
• A Wish to be a Christmas Tree by Colleen Monroe
• A Kid’s Guide to Maple Tapping: Let’s Make Maple Syrup by Julie Fryer
• At Grandpa’s Sugar Bush by Margaret Carney and Janet Wilson
• Sugaring Time by Kathryn Lasky and Christopher G. Knight
• The Maple Syrup Book by Marilyn Linton and Lesley Fairfield

Web Resources

Battel’s Sugar Bush: Scroll to the bottom section for more resources

From Virginia Ag in the Classroom: Making Maple Sugar Trees

Materials Needed:

• Brown paint
• Light blue construction paper (1 per child)
• White crayons (1 per child)
• White construction or copy paper (1 per child)
• White sugar sprinkles
• Glue
• Scissors
• Paper plates (to put the paint on)
• Paint brushes

Instructions:

1. Discuss with children the process in making maple syrup and where maple syrup comes from. Talk about the ways we use maple syrup.
2. Model the craft as you explain it to children. They should each have the necessary materials at their seats.
3. Children will cut the white paper in half, making a curvy line. Take one half of the white paper and glue it on the bottom of the light blue paper so the blue paper is up and down portrait style. Cut off any access white paper.
4. Children then paint the palm and fingers of their hand brown, spread their fingers out, and make a handprint where the white and blue papers meet.
5. They can then get some more paint on a finger and paint on a trunk at the bottom of their handprint. Children then wash their hands.
6. The paint should be dry so children can put some glue on the handprint and trunk and then sprinkle sugar on top of the glue so it sticks.
7. Lastly, children use a white crayon to draw falling snow if they would like. Display these maple trees around the room.