Toddler Science: Learning About Pumpkins

DESCRIPTION

Turn pumpkin carving into a fun toddler science activity. This activity can be tailored to almost any age group.

Pumpkin

Free Printable Pumpkin Investigation Sheet

Tape Measure

Large Bucket

Scale

Sharpie or permanent pen, pumpkin carving items

Serrated pumpkin carving knife (HIGHLY recommended)

Colander to rinse seeds

Water

Newspaper to work on

Smock or old t-shirt

1. Select a pumpkin!
2. Weigh at the store or at home.
3. Print our Pumpkin Investigation sheet or write the questions you are interested in addressing on a large sheet of paper and place in a visible location during the activity.
4. Measure the height and width of the pumpkin. Record.
5. Count how many vertical lines there are. You can count all the lines or just the lines that are indented deeper.
6. Fill a bucket with water and guess if it will float or sink...test and record.
7. Plan your pumpkin face, talk about shapes and draw on a paper to plan.
8. Draw the face on your pumpkin using a marker.

9. Using pumpkin cutter, cut out the lid.
10. Scoop out the seeds into a colander.
11. Rinse and remove as much of the orange stringy material as possible.
12. Carve the rest of the jack-o-lantern.
13. (For Older Toddlers) Have your child help put the seeds into piles of ten. (You don't have to count ALL the seeds but creating 4-5 sets of ten is great practice.
14. Make a tally mark for each and practice counting by tens.

TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS

Select a pumpkin with distinct lines for easier counting.

Find pumpkin carving knives. They usually sell these pumpkin knives only during the Fall season. They are serrated with an orange handle and have a dull edge but make carving much easier and much much safer than a standard knife. (See Photo Above) I have used a set of these knives in the classroom for this toddler science activity for over ten years. With assistance, a young child can help carve the pumpkin by guiding their hand carefully with these cutters. Without this pumpkin carving tool I would not allow a child to help with the actual carving.

If this toddler activity is to be done with a group of children, be sure to get additional adult assistance.

Here are a few more hypothesis you can do as a team or class especially with older toddlers or children.

The number of longitudinal lines of a pumpkin is always odd.

The larger the pumpkin, the more longitudinal lines you will count

The circumference is always greater than the height.

The size of the whole pumpkin will determine whether the pumpkin will sink or float. A large pumpkin will sink, a small pumpkin will float.

Cut pieces of pumpkin will float in water.

The larger the pumpkin, the more seeds it will contain.

Pumpkin Facts

The pumpkin is in the Cucurbitaceae or gourd family. It has a large trailing vine, heart shaped leaves and a prickly stem. The plant produces large yellow flowers. Pumpkins generally weigh about 9-18 pounds or 4-8 kg. The current world record is held by Joe Jutras from Rhode Island, brought a 1,689 pound pumpkin to the Topsfield Fair GPC weigh-off in Topsfield, Ma. on September 29, 2007! Although pumpkins are usually orange or yellow, some are dark green, pale green, orange-yellow, white, or red and gray. The most popular pumpkins are the orange colored pumpkin and the straw colored pumpkin, which is the type used for canned pumpkin. Pumpkins are used as a filling for pies, pastries, and puddings.

Pumpkins were one of the first crops in America. The Indians raised pumpkins before white settlers arrived. The Indians used pumpkin as a food in soup. They dried it and ground it into meal, they boiled it and then baked it. The Indians cut pumpkins into rings and dried them for the winter.

The first pumpkin pie was made in New England by cutting off the top, taking out the seeds, and filling the inside with milk and spices. Maple syrup or some other natural sweetener was added and the whole pumpkin was cooked.

VISIT A PUMPKIN FARM

Visiting a pumpkin farm is a great way to learn hands on and a fun way to select your pumpkin for this toddler science activity!

SCIENTIFIC PROCESSES USED

Here are some of the ways scientific processess can be introduced naturally into this toddler science activity.

Observation

Seeing Watching and engaging in the activity

Hearing Listening to directions given.

Touching Touching the rough exterior, helping to scrape the insides of the pumpkin, and counting the slippery seeds.

Tasting Roast the pumpkin seeds to taste. Be sure to help your child remove the outer shell.

Smelling A pumpkin has a very distinct smell when cut open. Smell on of the cut pieces. Roasting pumpkin seeds smell great!

Communication

Oral Use lots of descriptive words: orange, heavy, big, small. Discussing what you are going to do: measure, weigh, count.

Written Print out the Pumpkin Investigation sheet or write questions and answers on a large sheet and tape to easily view

Pictorial Showing pictures in a book or on the computer is a great way to introduce this activity.

Comparing

Measuring Using a tape measure to find the height and circumference of the pumpkin(s)

Weight How heavy is your pumpkin? Use a scale, compare if you have more than one pumpkin.

Quantity Comparison If you have more than one pumpkin than you can compare size, weight, number of lines, color and number of seeds it contains

Organizing

Data Gathering Write your answers on the Pumpkin Investigation sheet or on another large piece of paper

Sequencing Talk about the steps to carving a pumpkin in this toddler science activity. Write them on a piece of paper for your child to see.

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BOOKS

Books are always a great way to introduce toddler science activities.