Pumpkin
Exploration
Pumpkin Exploration
Grade Level: 3 - 5
Academic Area(s): Math, English Language Arts,
Science
Topic(s): Life Science, Technical Reading &
Writing, Algebraic Thinking, Measurement & Data
www.ksagclassroom.org
Overview:
Pumpkins come in many sizes, ranging from just a few ounces to
more than 1,000 pounds. Using pumpkins, students will estimate
and measure height, weight and circumference. Students will group
pumpkin seed and practice multiplication skills.
Objectives:
The student will:
1. Demonstrate knowledge of pumpkin growth and development facts by creating a 3D pumpkin.
2. Recognize sets of objects and develop an understanding of counting
large numbers by using multiplication.
3. Collect data and compare estimated measurements and actual
measurements using graphs.
Recommended Resources:
The Pumpkin Book
By: Gail Gibbons
AR Points: 0.5
How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin?
By: Margaret McNamara
AR Points: 0.5
Background Information and Facts:
Pumpkins are a member of the Curcurbita family, which includes
cucumbers, honeydew melons, cantaloupe, watermelons and zucchini. These plants are native to Central America and Mexico, but
now grow on all continents except Antarctica. Pumpkins have
grown in North America for 5,000 years. They are native to the
Western Hemisphere.
Pumpkins can be many different colors, sizes and shapes. Pumpkins,
like all plants, need sunlight, water, air, soil and an optimal environment to grow. The height, weight and circumference of each pumpkin
varies depending on these factors. They can range in size from just
a few ounces to more than 1,000 pounds. Pumpkins prefer warm
soils and are planted in late spring, typically during the month of May.
Pumpkins are known as a vine crop because the plants have long
stems that grow along the ground.
Page 1
Contents:
Rev. 10/15
• Activity 1 - 3D Pumpkin
• Activity 2 - Pumpkin
Data Collection
• Activity 3 - How Many
Seeds in a Pumpkin?
Worksheets:
• Growth and Development
Sequence
• Pumpkin Data Collection
Estimated Teaching Time:
• Activity 1: 30 minutes
• Activity 2: 1 hour
• Activity 3: 30 minutes
Pumpkin Exploration
Background Information and Facts
Each pumpkin plant produces both male and female flowers which are
attached to the vines by individual stems. Female flowers can be identified by the tiny baby pumpkin located between the flower and the stem.
If the female flower is not pollinated, the tiny pumpkin will shrivel and
die. If the female flower is poorly pollinated, the pumpkin will not reach
it’s maximum potential and the number of seeds inside the pumpkin
will be reduced.
During pollination, pollen from the male flower is transferred to the
female flower by bees or other insects. Several days after the female
flower is pollinated, that flower will die and fall off, leaving the tiny
pumpkin still on the stem. The pumpkin will continue to grow until it is
ready to harvest in late September to early October.
The outer layer, known as the rind or skin, serves as the pumpkin’s
protective shell. Inside the pumpkin, the string-like strands attached to
the seeds are the remains of the pollen tubes and are discarded because
they are inedible. Pulp, the edible portion of the pumpkin, is attached
to the outer wall. The pulp, which is scraped off and cooked, is high in
fiber and also rich in potassium and vitamin A. Roasted seeds of the
pumpkin are also edible.
Important Facts
Pumpkins consist of 90%
water.
Pumpkins can be pollinated
with pollen from other plants
of the same species like
zucchini.
One pumpkin can produce
hundreds of seeds.
In 2014 the world’s largest
pumpkin on record weighed
2,096 pounds!
Over one billion pounds of
pumpkin are produced
annually in the U.S.
Pumpkins are a member of the
Curcurbita family.
Pumpkins
Is it a pumpkin, squash or gourd?
Pumpkins, squash and gourds all belong to the Curcurbita family.
Four botanical species produce squash and pumpkins on trailing
vines.
Gourds
Plants that generally produce round, orange fruit are called
pumpkins.
Edible fruits of many shapes and colors are called squash.
Gourds are used for ornamental purposes rather than food uses.
Page 2
Squash
Pumpkin Exploration
Vocabulary List
Circumference: external boundary or surface of a figure or object.
Curcurbita: the family of plants that produce large, fleshy, tough-skinned or hard-skinned fruits;
commonly called the gourd family.
Fertilizer: any material of natural or synthetic origin that is added to soil to supply one or more
nutrients essential to the growth of plants.
Gourd: a fleshy fruit with a hard skin; some varieties are edible.
Harvest: to gather crops from the field.
Nutrient: a substance needed for an organism to grow and function properly.
Ornamental Plant: a plant grown for its decorative value; in addition to flowers, common ornamental
features include leaves, fruit, stems and bark as well as the shape, color or scent.
Pollen: the microscopic, powder-like grains produced by the male reproductive organs of the flower.
Pollination: the act of transferring grains of pollen from the male reproductive organ of a flower to the female reproductive organ of a flower; necessary for a plant or tree to produce seeds and reproduce.
Pulp: the edible portion of a pumpkin, which is attached to the outer wall.
Pumpkin: an annual plant belonging to the Curcurbita family of plants that produces round, orange,
edible fruit on trailing vines.
Rind: the outer layer which protects a pumpkin from insects or disease; also called the skin. Pumpkin
rind has a tough, woody texture and an unpleasant taste.
Seed: the part of a plant that contains the embryo, which can grow into a new plant.
Species: an identifiable group of individual plants that do not share the exact same characteristics of any
other identified group of plants.
Squash: annual plants belonging to the Curcurbita family grown for their fleshy edible fruits.
Variety: a specific group of individual plants within a species that are genetically distinct from similar
groups of individual plants of the same species; a subdivision of a species.
Vine Crop: plants with long stems that grow by trailing or creeping along the surface of the soil or by
climbing a support structure.
Page 3
Pumpkin Exploration
Student Activity
3D Pumpkin - Page 1
Preparation:
1. Gather materials listed.
2. Copy Growth and Development Sequence student worksheet- (page 1) and on orange paper, copy the 3D pumpkin template- (page 2)
3. Read The Pumpkin Book by Gail Gibbons prior to completing the
activity.
Materials:
• Orange construction
paper (five sheets per
student)
• Green construction paper
for stem
• Glue stick or double sided
Procedures:
tape
1. Each student completes the growth and development sequence student • Scissors
worksheet (page 5) by placing the steps in order on the left hand side.
2. Each student cuts out five orange pieces of paper using the template
provided.
3. Each student cuts a square out of the green paper.
4. Fold each piece of orange paper in half, folding the curved edges
together.
5. Lay one of the orange pieces of paper down flat and unfold, take
another piece and keep it folded in half. Glue or tape one half of that piece to the flat piece (on the center fold).
6. Take another folded piece and glue or tape and secure one half of it to the folded piece that has been glued to the flat piece.
7. Repeat with two more pieces of paper.
8. Tape or glue the green square to the top of the pumpkin by placing it in between two of the orange pieces.
9. Finally, glue or tape the last folded piece.
10. Use the growth and development sequence student worksheet to write each step in order on each piece of the pumpkin (one step per side with their name on one of the sides).
Page 4
Finished Project
Student Worksheet
Pumpkin Exploration
Growth and Development Sequence - Page 1
Name:_____________________________Date:________________
Put the growth and development steps in order by placing the number in the pumpkin.
Soil is prepared for planting and fertilizer is added as needed.
Pumpkins are harvested in the fall.
Pumpkins take up to four months to reach maturity in the fall.
Plants use water, soil and sunlight to grow vines.
Farmers protect plants from weeds and insects as they begin to grow.
Soil is tested for nutrients to determine fertilizer needs.
Bees and other insects transfer pollen from male flowers to female flowers.
Pumpkins begin to form on the vines.
Seeds are planted in late May or early June.
Page 5
Pumpkin Exploration
Student Worksheet
Growth and Development Sequence - Page 2
Answer Key
Soil is prepared for planting and fertilizer is added as 2
needed.
9
Pumpkins are harvested in the fall.
8
Pumpkins take up to four months to reach maturity in the fall.
5
Plants use water, soil and sunlight to grow vines.
Farmers protect plants from weeds and insects as 4
they begin to grow.
Soil is tested for nutrients to determine fertilizer 1
needs.
5
7
3
Bees and other insects transfer pollen from male flowers to female flowers.
Pumpkins begin to form on the vines.
Seeds are planted in late May or early June.
Page 6
Student Activity
3D Pumpkin - Page 2
Page 7
Pumpkin Exploration
Student Activity
Pumpkin Data Collection- Page 1
Preparation:
Materials:
1. Make arrangements to visit the local pumpkin patch and secure funds • Pumpkins of different
for each student to be able to pick out a pumpkin.
sizes (one per student)
2. Gather materials listed.
• Scale measuring ounces
3. Copy Pumpkin Estimation Data student worksheet.
and pounds
• Flexible tape measure
Procedures:
• String or yarn
1. Students will complete the “My Pumpkin Data” worksheet with a
• Ruler
partner.
• Crayons or colored
pencils
2. Estimate the height, weight and circumference of pumpkins and
• Pumpkin Data Collection
record on the worksheet.
worksheet
• 4 sheets of paper per
3. Then measure the height using a ruler, the weight using the student for bar graphs
scale and the circumference using a flexible tape measure or string. and line plot
Partners can help each other accurately measure and record the data.
4. Instruct each student on how to draw a bar graph and line plot. Draw an example of each on the board and decide as a class what the scale will be.
5. Call upon each student to share his or her pumpkin data for the height. As each student shares the data, other students will complete a line plot using the data.
6. Repeat with weight and circumference.
7. Using the data from the line plot, students will complete a bar graph for each of the three measurements.
8. Discussion Questions:
• What is the average height, weight and circumference of the pumpkins?
• Whose pumpkin was the tallest? Heaviest? Greatest
circumference?
• What do plants need to live?
• What would happen to a plant if it did not get enough sunlight or water?
• What might happen if a plant received too much rain?
• Does the type of soil a plant is grown in affect it?
• How could you grow a really big pumpkin?
Page 8
Data Collection
Student Worksheet
Pumpkin Data Collection - Page 2
Pumpkin Exploration
Name:_____________________________
My Pumpkin Data
Estimate
Actual
Height
Weight
Circumference
Page 9
Date:________________
Pumpkin Exploration
Student Activity
How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? - Page 1
Materials:
Preparation:
1. Gather materials listed.
2. Read the book How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? by Margaret McNamara
prior to completing the activity.
Procedures:
1. Divide students into groups of three.
2. Distribute a piece of poster or newsprint paper and bags of pumpkin seeds to each group.
3. Students count seeds by sorting into groups and arranging on the Kraft paper. They may choose to count by twos, threes, fives or tens.
See the book How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? for illustration.
4. Each group multiplies their seeds to determine the total number of seeds they had in their bag.
5. Each group records their total number of seeds on a sticky note and places it on their poster or newsprint paper with their seeds.
Page 10
• Bags of dried pumpkin
seeds with various
numbers of seeds from
the grocery store or
recovered from pumpkins
• Bright colored poster or
newsprint paper
for each group
• Sticky note for each group
Seed Counting
Pumpkin Exploration
Want More? Resources & Extensions
Extensions:
English Language Arts:
• Have students read an AR book and decorate a pumpkin as their favorite character from the story.
Social Studies and Technical Reading:
• Ask students to research the history of pumpkins using the
Exploring Plants: Crops Educator’s Guide, pages 72-73, and the Illinois Ag in the classroom Pumpkin Ag Mag.
Math:
• Have students practice measurements by preparing pumpkin pie in a bag from Illinois Ag in the Classroom Pumpkin Ag Mag, page eight.
Health and Nutrition:
• Read about pumpkin nutritional facts:
- Exploring Plants: Kansas Crops Educator’s Guide on pages 73 and 132.
- University of Illinois Extension’s Pumpkin Nutrition http://extension.illinois.edu/pumpkins/nutrition.cfm
- Pumpkin nutrition label from Penn State Extension http://bit.ly/1P18WyN
• Complete pumpkin pie in a bag activity from the Illinois Ag in the Classroom Pumpkin Ag Mag on page eight.
• Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe
Ingredients:
- one medium pumpkin
- one tablespoon olive oil
- table salt
Directions:
1. Cut off the top of the pumpkin and scoop out seeds onto a clean surface.
2. Separate the stringy fibers from the seeds (should have about two cups of seeds).
3. Rinse the seeds under cold water in a colander.
4. Spread the seeds out onto a baking sheet and let dry.
5. Preheat oven to 250oF.
6. Drizzle olive oil over the seeds and mix together.
7. Sprinkle the seeds with table salt.
8. Place baking sheet in oven for an hour, let cool and enjoy!
Page 11
Recommended Resources:
Kansas Foundation for
Agriculture in the Classroom (KFAC):
www.ksagclassroom.org
Look for other lesson plans,
resource materials and teacher training opportunities!
Exploring Plants: Kansas Crops
Educator’s Guide: look in the
index for pumpkin, pumpkin
seeds, squash and gourds.
Kids Connection: “A Pollinator
Party: Partners in Agriculture” – a student magazine.
http://ksagclassroom.org/
pollinator_final.pdf
Pollinators Lesson Plan
http://bit.ly/1XtLRrI
Other resources/websites:
Illinois Ag in the Classroom
Pumpkin Ag Mag:
http://bit.ly/1KAOsqD
Illinois Pumpkin Fact Sheet:
http://bit.ly/1XtESz5
A Learning Journey to a
Pumpkin Patch:
http://bit.ly/1kI2B0h