With this October lesson plan geared toward kindergarten and first grade, through learning about the signs of fall, the student will be able to correctly: sort objects based on different factors (size, color, shape), count objects up to 20, explain the order of a pumpkin’s growth, know the physical external and internal characteristics of a pumpkin, and remember specific vocabulary words: pumpkin, vine, stem, tendril, leaves, skin, meat, and seed.
Materials:
- From Seed to Pumpkin by Wendy Pfeffer [HarperCollins Publishers, 2004]
- It’s Fall by Linda Glaser [Lerner Publishing Group, 2001]
- wipe off markers
- plastic bags of different corn kernels (red, yellow, orange and white Indian corn)
- plastic bags of pumpkin seeds
- different sized pumpkins
- several different colors and types of leaves (faux or cutouts)
- small scale
- poster chart with question: Which Weighs More: 20 Pumpkin Seeds or 20 Corn Kernels?
- paper and pumpkin seeds
- vocabulary cards (pumpkin, vine, stem, tendril, leaves, skin, meat, and seed)
- picture cards to match vocabulary cards
- 20 pumpkin cutouts numbered
- pumpkin counting file folder game
- orange, green and brown construction paper
- scissors
- glue
- markers or crayons
Pumpkin Lesson Procedure
Review with students what they already know about fall:
- Introduce the lesson by reading It’s Fall and when finished, discuss the signs of fall and some signs they might be discovering already.
- Call on students as a group to explain how they think a pumpkin grows.
- Demonstrate with following book and focus on the vocabulary words.
Introduce how a pumpkin grows:
- Read From Seed to Pumpkin. Ask story comprehension questions and sequence questions.
- Teach "This is How Your Pumpkin Grows" song for retention. Discuss open ended questions about pumpkins with students. Through discussion, lead students to understand the order a pumpkin grows, from seed to pumpkin.
- Distribute the 20 pumpkin cutouts to the class. Remaining students get to be the “Farmers.” Teach the "Twenty Little Pumpkins" for counting retention.
Learn through center time:
- Split the students up into centers.
- Math Center: Have the seeds, kernels, leaves and pumpkins in the math center with the scale. Which is heavier, 20 pumpkin seeds, or 20 kernels? Each child will place an X next to their name, under their answer on the poster chart hanging in the math center. Offer them ideas to sort objects based on color, size, shape, or amount. Have the Pumpkin Counting File Folder Game available (20 numbered pumpkins need to be put in order).
- Reading Center: Have plenty of books about fall and pumpkins available to look at and read. Have the vocabulary cards and picture cards on a magnetic board for the children to take turns matching.
- Writing Center: Set out the materials for the children to make their own pumpkin sequence book (paper folded book style and a pumpkin seed for each student). Have an example available. Each page should have text at the bottom with a vocabulary word (e.g. “This seed grows into a pumpkin,” “Vines have tendrils on them,” “The stem is at the top.” etc.) Encourage children to illustrate each page, beginning with the first page pasting their pumpkin seed. Have the “Anatomy of a Pumpkin Poster” available if student’s want to take turns tracing the vocabulary words with a wipe off marker.
- Art Center: Set out construction paper with scissors, glue and markers, and have students make their own pumpkins.
This is How Your Pumpkin Grows Song
(to the tune of “Hi, Ho, Dairy-O”)
Pumpkins come from seeds, (be a seed, crouch with your arms curled over your head)
Pumpkins come from seeds,
this is how a pumpkin grows, (sway from side to side, still a seed)
pumpkins come from seeds.
They grow lots of vines, (your arms become vines and grow)
they grow lots of vines,
this is how a pumpkin grows, (sway your arms, get taller)
they grow lots of vines.
The vines have twirly tendrils, (wave your arms, jiggle your legs)
the vines have twirly tendrils,
this is how a pumpkin grows, (twirl around, get taller)
the vines have twirly tendrils.
A stem and leaves up top, (raise one arm for the stem,
A stem and leaves up top, (and bend the other one like a leaf)
this is how the pumpkin grows, (jump up and down)
A stem and leaves up top.
On the outside is the skin, (hug yourself and twist at the waist)
on the inside is the meat, (Arms out for a “hug”, sway side to side)
and now your pumpkin is all grown, (big arm wave)
and so we get to eat! Yum! (rub your tummy)
Twenty Little Pumpkins
Sing to Ten Little Indians but count to twenty. (Children holds up their numbered pumpkin when it is sung. Farmers circle the group of pumpkins “watering” and “tending” to them).
Learning through theme is one way to cover many subjects in a fun, interactive way with the students. Assess through observation during center time. Students will be able to play the Pumpkin File Folder game by putting each pumpkin in correct numerical order from 1 to 20. Students will correctly match vocabulary words to the picture they belong with. Students will properly identify the sequence a pumpkin grows with their sequence book. Students will use most or all parts of a pumpkin when creating their own in the art center.
ChristaCarol Jones - A stay-at-home mother of two and preschool music teacher during the school year, ChristaCarol thrives on finding or creating educational, ...
