Pumpkins Aplenty, Pumpkins Galore

 

Information provided for classroom use only; not for publication.

thevirtualvine.com 2002

 

 

 

Books:                                                                                   
  It's A Fruit, It's a Vegetable, It's A Pumpkin ~ Allan Fowler

The Biggest Pumpkin Ever ~ Steven Kroll

It's Pumpkin Time! ~ Zoe Hall

Apples and Pumpkins ~ Anne Rockwell

Pumpkin Pumpkin ~ Jeanne Titherington

The Great Pumpkin ~ Megan McDonald

Pumpkins ~ Mary Lyn Ray

The Vanishing Pumpkin ~ Tony Johnston

Grandma's Smile ~ Elaine Moore

Too Many Pumpkins  (with cassette) ~ Linda White

The Pumpkin Patch ~ Elizabeth King

Jeb Scarecrow's Pumpkin Patch ~ Jana Dillon

The Pumpkin Fair ~ Eve Bunting

Mousekin's Golden House

The Pumpkin People ~ David and Maggie Cavagnaro

Five Little Pumpkins ~ Scholastic

Grow a Pumpkin Pie! ~ Jane E. Gerver

The Pumpkin Book ~ Gail Gibbons

The Tiniest Pumpkin ~ Troll

The Three Friends And the Pumpkins ~ Tomie dePaola

Five Little Pumpkins ~ William Boniface

Pumpkin Fiesta ~

 

 

  Pumpkin Facts
A pumpkin is a vegetable related to the squash and belongs to the gourd family.  (Many websites state that the pumpkin is actually a fruit, contrary to what's stated in the Lasting Lesson's resource book.  So you decide!)
They can weigh from 15 - 30 pounds.  Some can weigh up to 200 lbs.
Pumpkins are mostly orange, but many pumpkins are white, yellow or other colors.
Pumpkins provide a rich source of vitamin A and potassium.
Most farmers use pumpkins as livestock feed.
Pumpkins grow on vines and bushes.
It takes about 4 months for a pumpkin to reach maturity.
Pumpkins have hard outer shells and course, stringy pulp. (And their shells are more durable than you think.  I saw one roll off of a cart at Wal-Mart this week and it just kind of bounced and rolled around on the asphalt in the parking lot.  It didn't even crack!)
People cook pumpkins in a variety of ways.
Pumpkin seeds are used for a snack.
  Pumpkin facts taken from Lasting Lessons* Falling Into Colors.  I copied them onto orange construction paper, colored the vine and stem and laminated it to hang in the classroom to review.

Discuss the difference between pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns.
Pumpkin Fiesta: This book is covered in the second graders' Trophies reader. 

Sara Tomon created these vocabulary cards for the story.

Vocabulary Cards

 

*Be sure to check the links at the bottom*

Use this unit to focus on the Letter P or the short "u" sound.  Provide each student with an orange construction paper pumpkin outline.  Have them cut it out and then glue things to it that either begin with a "p" or have the /u/ sound.  Once they're finished and the glue has dried, fold the pumpkin in half with the pictures to the inside to form a booklet.  Program the outside with a title such as "My P Booklet" and the student's name.

 

Pumpkin Sequencing Cards: We use these in the pocketchart.   I have two different sets, one ends with a jack-o-lantern. 

 

There are similar pictures that can be used for sequencing here: http://extension.usu.edu/aitc/resources/pdf/fieldguide2/pumpkin.pdf

 

Pumpkin Pointer: This is the pointer I made from a dowel and a pencil topper.  I buy the dowels at the craft store and my husband cuts them in half for me.  I buy the ones that are about the same size around as a pencil.  Then I top them with a seasonal/thematic pencil topper or eraser.  I use them during instruction and the students use them to Read the Room.

 

 

I'm going to add jack-o-lantern activities to this page as well as regular pumpkin activities since most pumpkins (well, a lot of them anyway) end up being jack-o-lanterns.

Pumpkin Pie Playdough

 

Although this playdough smells really good, you'll need to remind your students not to taste it.  :)


Ingredients Needed:
5 1/2 cups flour
2 cups salt
8 teaspoons cream of tartar
3/4 cup oil
1 container (1 1/12 ounces) pumpkin pie spice
Orange food coloring (2 parts yellow, 1 part red)
4 cups water

Directions:
Mix all of the ingredients together. Cook and stir over medium heat until all lumps disappear. Knead the dough on a floured surface until it is smooth. Store in an airtight container.

 

Place the playdough in a Center with small pie-type tins (tins that pot pies come in work really well for this) and have your students create their own pretend pumpkin pies.  Make sure you show them how to pinch around the edges to make their pie crusts! :)

Another version of Pumpkin Pie Playdough:

The version above was posted on the 'net, and I've never used it.  I have used a non-cook type playdough recipe and just added the can of Pumpkin Pie Spice.  I think I'd like this version better, because I'm not crazy about having to cook something if I don't have to.  And once the time is up that I want to use the playdough, I divide it up into enough pieces for each student to have one and place it in a ziplock bag.  Then each student gets to take some of the playdough home with them.

Non-Cook Playdough

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 cup water
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

food coloring

 

I also did not add food coloring to mine.  The Pumpkin Pie Spice gives it a nice "nutty, spicy" color.

Pumpkin, pumpkin
Round and fat .
Turns into a jack-o-lantern,
Just like that!

~ Author Unknown

Pumpkins


Pumpkin large
Pumpkin small
Pumpkin short
Pumpkin tall
Pumpkin yellow
Pumpkin green
All are ready for Halloween!

~ Author Unknown

 

This would be a good poem to use for introducing/reinforcing large/small, short/tall, & yellow/green.  You could do that by putting each line of the poem on a sentence strip and then having a corresponding picture card to go with it.  ( a large pumpkin, a small pumpkin, a short, pumpkin, a tall pumpkin, a yellow pumpkin, a green pumpkin, and then lastly a picture with all combined)

 

You can also extend this activity by making a second set of matching sentence strips.  After laminating, cut this second set into word cards.  Students match the words to the text in the poem.  (If you need a picture, you can visit the Easter page and see how I did an Easter poem using this strategy.)

 

When adding this poem to their Poetry Journals, you can have that last picture at the bottom of the page for the students to color and/or have them illustrate each line of the poem by drawing an appropriate pumpkin at the end of each line of text.

Poetry Journals:  Don't forget to add all poems/songs you use to your students' Poetry Journals
Home Project:  Send home a construction paper pumpkin and have students disguise it so that it won't be used to make a pumpkin pie! :)  They would do this by creating a disguise for it so that it no longer resembled a pumpkin.  If you provide a model for them to look at before sending theirs home with them, it might help them get some ideas to start off with.

You could also use this idea with the idea below in place of using the construction paper pumpkin.

Paperbag Pumpkin:  Fill a brown lunch sack 3/4 full with shredded newspaper.  Twist the neck of the bag shut and tie off with a green pipecleaner.  Have students paint the bottom part of the sack orange to make the pumpkin.  Have them paint the neck part of the sack green to form the stem.  Have them cut out big leaves from green construction paper and thread one or two onto the green pipecleaner.  Form the left-over pipecleaner into a "vine".  Below is a pumpkin leaf shape.

 

These look cute placed on a flat surface among fall leaves or green "Easter grass".  You'll have your own little pumpkin patch.  If desired, as time gets closer to Halloween, you could pick the pumpkins from the patch and have students paint on jack-o-lantern faces using black and yellow paint.

The pumpkin below was done MANY years ago and doesn't have the leaf/leaves on it.

No-Bake Pumpkin Pie II
www.allrecipes.com

Individual No Bake Pumpkin Pies


1 foil baking cup liner (cup cake liner)
1 vanilla wafer (for the crust)

Put the vanilla wafer in the bottom of the foil cup cake liner.
Mix in a small paper cup (kitchen size): 1/4 C. of prepared
vanilla pudding, 1/4 t. pumpkin pie spice, and 1 T. canned
pumpkin. Stir and spoon into crust. Top with a spoon of cool
whip and a candy pumpkin.

Little Jack Pumpkin Face

Little Jack Pumpkin Face
Lived on a vine,
Little Jack Pumpkin Face
Thought it was fine.
First he was small and green,
Then big and yellow,
Little Jack Pumpkin Face
Is a fine fellow.

~ Author Unknown

 

Paper Strip Pumpkin:  from Crayola.com

 

 

Jack-o-lantern Art Project:  Paint a white paperplate orange.  Add a green construction paper stem.  Add facial features using black construction paper or black paint.

If you want to cut out the first step, provide the students with an orange paperplate.

Writing Prompts:

__ (insert a number) Pumpkins Growing in a Patch

 

Orange Things

 

A pumpkin is ...

 

My Jack-o-lantern

 

If I had a pumpkin I would ...

 

If I had a pumpkin patch I would ...

 

If I had 100 pumpkins I would ...

 

With my pumpkin I will make ...

 

What's In the Pumpkin Patch?

Resource:  Teacher's Helper (K) Oct/Nov 2001

Pumpkin Picking (beginning sounds b,s,g)

Pumpkin Journal

Perky Pumpkins (sequencing)

Resource: Teacher's Helper (K) Oct/Nov 2000

Pumpkin Patch Math (sorting by shape)

Pumpkin Patch Math (sorting by size)

Pumpkin Patch Math (sorting by attribute)

Pick of the Patch (counting 1 - 6)

Bring in the Harvest (sets/more)

From Pumpkin to Pie (sets/fewer)

Resource: Teacher's Helper (1st) Sept/Oct 1993

Pretty Pumpkins (consonant review)

Garden Markers (beginning consonants w,c,g)

Planting Pumpkins (beginning consonants f,r,l)

Super Seeds (beginning consonants h,d,t)

Pumpkin Patch Party (stationary)

Resource: Teacher's Helper (1st) Sept/Oct 1992

Pumpkin Passion (initial consonants m,w,p,g,c)

Resource: Teacher's Helper (K) Oct/Nov 2002

Pumpkin Convoy (beginning sounds f,m,t)

Hide and Seek (beginning sounds b,g,s)

Prizewinners (beginning sounds c,p,n)

Perfect Pie (beginning sounds d,h,r)

Awards

Fall Kindergarten News (stationary)

Pecking at Pumpkins (beginning sounds j,t,w)

Itchy, Itchy Pumpkin Game (review beginning sounds)

 

Torn Paper Pumpkin:  This is a good fine motor Center activity.  Provide each student with a pumpkin outline.  Have them fill in the pumpkin shape with bits of torn orange construction paper that has been glued on.  Then have them fill in the stem with green construction paper.

 

 

Five Little Pumpkins

Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate.

The first one said, "Oh my, it's getting late."

The second one said, "There are witches in the air."

The third one said, "But I don't care!"

The fourth one said, "Let's run and run and run."

The fifth one said, "I'm ready for some fun!"

Woo-ooo! went the wind,

And out went the light.

And the five little pumpkins rolled out of sight.

~ Author Unknown

 

This is the Song/Poetry Card that I created on my computer.  It's printed onto a piece of cardstock.  The TA added the 5 pumpkins.  Then it was laminated.  We use it for group readings of the poem.  I can make do with these small Song/Poetry Cards because I only teach to small groups at a time.

The students are provided a similar page, but without the pumpkins.  They add their own pumpkins to the fence, then their page goes in their Poetry Journal.

Flannelboard:  You can also create flannelboard pieces to do with the 5 Little Pumpkins poem.  Provide a fence and 5 pumpkins.  The witch is optional.
Sponge Painting:  Allow students to sponge paint 5 pumpkins onto a fence on a long sheet of paper.

Pumpkin/Halloween Door:  A few years ago, we did a Pumpkin study and this is the door that we created to go with the unit.  The crows have the "5 Little Pumpkins" poem in their beaks.  The cornstalk is made from real cornhusks from the grocery store.  The witch and crows are backed with small pieces of packing foam to make them stand out from the black background. (This was in our old building)

 

 

Life Cycle of a Pumpkin:  Use the pictures from the link below (Life Cycle printable) to help create this activity.  Have students color and cut out the pictures and words, then sequence them on a strand of green yarn.  Have students paint two paperplates orange.  Staple them together with the painted side facing outwards leaving an opening at the top.  Add a green stem.   Have students stuff their pictures down into the pumpkin opening, leaving some of the yarn hanging outside the pumpkin as the vine.  As the students start to pull the yarn from the pumpkin, the pictures should emerge in correct sequential order.  As they emerge, the students should identify the stage of the life cycle of the pumpkin.

Pumpkin, pumpkin

Big and round.

Pumpkin, pumpkin

On the ground.

 

With my finger

I will trace,

A smile upon

Your orange face.

~ Author Unknown

 

Reproduce this poem on a page for each student.  Have them glue an Ellison die-cut poem to the bottom of the page and add facial features (including a smile) to the pumpkin's face.  When dry, the page goes in their Poetry Journal.

Jack-o-lantern

 

I made a Jack-o-lantern

His smile was big and wide.

I put him in the window,

So he could look outside.

 

And people smiled to see him,

So I learned this from my Jack,

If you just smile at people,

People smile right back!

~ Author Unknown

Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater

 

Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater,

Had a wife and couldn't keep her.

He put her in a pumpkin shell,

And there he kept her very well.

 

This is the Song/Poetry Card that we created for this rhyme.  I printed it onto cardstock.  I cut a sideways "H" in a die-cut pumpkin and glued it onto the bottom of the page.  Then the TA drew Peter's wife in the "window".  I had one particular student that made me open the window so that she could see his wife EVERY day that we did this rhyme.  If I tried to slip by her without doing it, she reminded me every time! :)

 

 

The children also got the rhyme printed onto a page and a pumpkin die-cut with the "window" already cut in it.  They glued it to their page then either drew in a wife, or cut one from a magazine and glued her in the window.  These later went into their Poetry Journals.

Math Mats:  This is a picture of one of our math mats.  I wanted something to use with the pumpkin candy counters that I'd bought, so I had the TA make these mats.  She enlarged the pumpkin leaf pattern that we had and then copied it onto green construction paper.  Then she glued two to a page and added the plus sign in between them.  Last they were laminated.  Now the students can use either mini-pumpkin erasers as counters or those yummy little pumpkin candies.

We use them like this ...for the addition problem 2 + 2, they would put 2 pumpkins on one leaf, then 2 pumpkins on the other leaf, then count all the pumpkins to find their answer.

 

More Math Mats:  This is another math mat that I made on my computer.  I printed it onto cardstock and laminated it.  You could also print them onto paper and then mount the paper on construction paper before laminating.  It also goes with the pumpkin counters.  You use it to do story problems.

Ex. One morning the farmer went out and he had 2 pumpkins in his patch.  (Students put 2 pumpkins in the field) The next week when he went to the patch, he had 3 more.  (Students add 3 more pumpkins to the mat) How many pumpkins does he have now? (Students count the total number of pumpkins on the mat)

Ex. Jeb Scarecrow doesn't work on Sundays.  When he left the pumpkin patch on Saturday there were 6 pumpkins.  (Students would put 6 pumpkin counters in the field) When he came back to work on Monday, there were only 3 pumpkins left in the patch.  (Students would remove all but 3 pumpkins) How many are missing?  (Students count how many pumpkins they removed so that only 3 were left)

Resource: The Best of Teacher's Helper* Seasonal & Holiday Activities (TEC1478)

Nosey Triangles (shapes)

Silly Squares (shapes)

Pumpkins Grow (booklet)

Rectangle Rascals (shapes)

Spooky Circles (shapes)

All About Pumpkin Seeds (estimation)

Pick of the Patch (identifying differences)

Resource: Teacher's Friend Publications* Autumn Idea Book

Pumpkin Stories (pumpkin shape writing paper)

Pumpkin Shape Book pattern

Resource: Frank Schaffer's SCHOOLDAYS* Sept/Oct 1987

Calculator Fun

Resource: Teacher Created Materials* October Monthly Activities

Name the Number (number words/addition)

Pumpkin Pattern

October News (stationary)

Make Your Own Faces!

Creative Writing Pattern (writing paper)

Pumpkin Patch (leaf, pumpkin, scarecrow patterns)

Pumpkin Patch gameboard

Mr. Pumpkin

(tune: Frere Jacques)

 

Mr. Pumpkin, Mr. Pumpkin,

Eyes so round, eyes so round.

Halloween is coming,

Halloween is coming,

To my town, to my town.

~ Author Unknown

Pumpkins

 

We are pumpkins, big and round,

Big and round, big and round.

We are pumpkins, big and round,

Sitting on the ground.

~ Author Unknown

Two Pumpkin Seeds

 

One day I found two pumpkin seeds.

I planted one and pulled the weeds.

It sprouted roots and a long green vine.

A pumpkin grew, I called it mine.

My pumpkin was quite round and fat.

I really am quite proud of that.

But there is something I'll admit,

That has me worried just a bit you see.

Now will it grow inside of me?

~ Author Unknown

Ten Little Pumpkins

(tune: 10 Little Indians)

 

One little, two little, three little pumpkins,

Four little, five little, six little pumpkins,

Seven little, eight little, nine little pumpkins,

Ten pumpkins in the pumpkin patch.

~ Author Unknown

(tune: I'm a Little Teapot)

 

I'm a little pumpkin short and stout;

Here are my eyes and here is my mouth.

When it's Halloween and you are out,

Just lift my lid and hear me shout.

Boo!

~ Author Unknown

 

I added a clip art picture to the top of a page and then typed the song below it.  The students colored the picture then added it to their Poetry Journals.

 

 

Trick-or-Treating Jack-o-lanterns:  Paint two paperplates orange.  Use markers, crayons, paint, or black construction paper to add facial features to one plate to form a jack-o-lantern.  Staple the two plates together with the paint to the outside, leaving the top side open.  Add a green "stem" handle that loops from the inside of one paperplate to the other.  Staple the handle to the paperplates so that it will be secure.  Students can use this to trick-or-treat.  If it's used to hold very much candy, you might consider laminating the green handles before attaching them to the plates.  This will make it more durable and less likely to tear.

Resource: Scarecrow Activity Book (Frank Schaffer Publications FS-43503)

Pumpkin Patch (counting 1 - 5)

Harvest Time (maze)

From the Pumpkin Patch (color by number 16 - 20)

Big and Orange (alphabet sequence A-Z)

Pocketchart Math Activity:  Laminate pages of orange construction paper, then use the Ellison machine to cut out pumpkins and/or jack-o-lanterns.  Place them in the pocketchart along with laminated number cards.  Students count the pumpkins/jack-o-lanterns and match with the correct number card. 

Another version of this activity would be to place the cards in the pocketchart and have the students add the correct number of pumpkins/jack-o-lanterns.

You could also use the pumpkin leaves for this as well.

Yellow Pumpkin, Yellow Pumpkin:  This is a spin-off book from Brown Bear, Brown Bear.  I believe some of the other K teachers shared it with me.  We use Ellison die-cuts to illustrate it.  The students just have to glue the appropriate die-cut on each page and add details.  I've adapted the version that was shared with me to fit my own needs. 

 

I noticed a few years back that the original Brown Bear type format doesn't lend itself well to allowing students to use picture cues, since the picture that goes with the text is on the next page.  So I started changing the format so that the text and pictures are on the same page.  This helps those young or early emergent readers by providing the picture cue and the matching text on the same page, and prevents them from having to turn the page to see what picture is coming up next.

 

Yellow Pumpkin, Yellow Pumpkin

 

 

pg 1: Yellow pumpkin, yellow pumpkin, what do you see?

(yellow pumpkin die-cut)

 

pg 2: I see an orange jack-o-lantern looking at me.

(orange jack-o-lantern die-cut)

 

pg 3: Orange jack-o-lantern, orange jack-o-lantern, what do you see?

(orange jack-o-lantern)

 

pg 4: I see a black cat looking at me.

(black cat)

 

pg 5: Black cat, black cat, what do you see?

(black cat)

 

pg 6: I see a white ghost looking at me.

(white ghost)

 

pg 7: White ghost, white ghost, what do you see?

(white ghost)

 

pg 8: I see lots of trick-or-treaters looking at me!

Have students illustrate this page, or add pictures of them dressed in their costumes, or have them cut out pictures and glue to the page.

Resource: Worksheet Magazine (now Teacher's Helper) Gr. 1 Sept/Oct 1989

Pumpkin Transport (alphabetical order)

Pumpkin Die-cut Activities:  You can use the Ellison pumpkin die-cuts to make many, many activities.  You can also use two different sized pumpkin notepad shapes for these as well.  Just cut out the shapes or purchase the notepads and program them with:

 

*capital and lowercase letters (students match the capital and lowercase letters)

*dots and numbers (students count the dots and match to the correct numbers)

*seeds and numbers (program half the pumpkin with "pumpkin seeds" that you've drawn on with a Sharpie marker; they count the seeds and match to the correct number)

*mini-stickers and numbers (students count the stickers and match to the correct number)

*rhyming words (match the word pairs that rhyme)

*rhyming pictures (match the picture pairs that rhyme)

*opposites (students match either pictures that are opposites or words that are opposites)

*synonyms (same as above)

*compound words (find the two words that go together to form a compound words ... can use word or pictures)

*ABCs (put a letter on each pumpkin and have them sequence them in the correct order)

*words (put the words in alphabetical order)

*vocabulary (match the word to the correct picture; or the word to the correct definition)

 

Made using shaped notepads

Perfectly round dots can be made

using a new pencil eraser and a

stamp pad

 

These are small pumpkin patterns.

I programmed them with numbers

to use for sequencing.

These pumpkins are programmed

for matching capital to lowercase

letters.

 

Resource: Teacher's Friend* October

Color Page

Creative Writing (writing paper)

Resource: Worksheet Magazine Gr 1 Sept/Oct 1990

Harvest Hopes (stationary)

Purchase a pumpkin to use for math activities.  Have the students estimate how many seeds are in it, how much it weighs, and allow them to cut string to show how big around they think it is.  Also ask them if they think it will float.

Then weigh it, put it in a tub or sink to see if it will float, and check the students' guesses about the size with the real measurement.  Afterwards, cut off the top and allow them to clean out the inside and count the seeds.  Have them count the seeds into piles of 10 or 100, depending on the students.  Then carve the pumpkin into a jack-o-lantern and have some type of pumpkin treat (pumpkin pie, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin fluff, pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, etc.)  Visit the Wild About Watermelons! page to get more in-depth directions for these activities.  Just substitute the pumpkin for the watermelon.

Pumpkin Decorating Center:  Instead of carving a jack-o-lantern's face on a pumpkin, allow the students to use washable markers to decorate a face.  After they're finished, provide them with a wet sponge and the marker will wipe right off and the pumpkin will be ready for the next artist! :)  The kids love doing this!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds:  Once you've removed the seeds from a pumpkin you can clean and wash them, then roast them. 

 

1 1/2 t vegetable oil

1 t salt

2 C pumpkin seeds

 

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  Wash seeds under warm water in colander.  Mix together in bowl; seeds, salt, oil.  Spread seeds on cookie sheet.  Bake for 30 mins., or until golden brown and crispy.  Use spoon to stir seeds from time to time while baking.  Serve warm or cooled, or mix with other dried snack foods to make a trail mix.

Resource: Make Your Own Holiday Books (Teacher Created Materials #393
Planting Pumpkin Seeds:  I've never tried this, but you could try planting some of the pumpkin seeds that you remove from your pumpkin.  Our watermelon seeds came up, so maybe pumpkin seeds will also.
Pumpkin Seed counters:  We also use watermelon seeds for counters with watermelon math activities.  I'd think that you could use pumpkin seeds as well.  Wash them and lay them out in a single layer on newspaper to dry well.

Create pumpkin math activities by purchasing small orange paperplates.  Add a green stem and maybe a leaf to them and program each "pumpkin" with a number.  Students count out the correct number of seeds on each pumpkin to match the number.

Jack-o-lantern Counting Activity:  If you visit Kinder Korner, on one of Victoria's pages you'll see a math activity using small plastic jack-o-lanterns and popsicle sticks.  She programmed each jack-o-lantern with a number and students add that many popsicle sticks to the jack-o-lantern.  I adapted that idea to make it a little more "real", so I have my students count pieces of wrapped candy into each jack-o-lantern to match the number.  Sort of like reverse trick-or-treating for them.  :)

Resource: The Mailbox Pre/K Oct/Nov 1990

Pumpkin, leaf, & seed patterns

Resource:  Lasting Lessons* Fall Into Colors

Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater (pumpkin house patterns)

Pumpkin - Pumpkin Cookies recipe

Activities for The Biggest Pumpkin Ever

Pumpkin Bingo patterns

 

Resource: The Mailbox Companion.com

If you have a subscription to The Mailbox, check out the extenders for the months/years that I've listed.  They have some great pumpkin patterns and other extensions.

A Grand Entrance!:  Turn your classroom doorway into the entrance into a giant pumpkin! Using orange bulletin board paper, make a giant pumpkin that surrounds your classroom door.  Cover the door with orange paper as well.  Last, add a giant green stem to the top.  Now you'll find out how Peter Pumpkin Eater's wife felt! :)

 

Patchwork Pumpkins Center:  Provide students with a pumpkin outline, fabric samples, and pinking shears.  Have them use a green marker to color the pumpkin's stem, then use the pinking shears to cut the fabric swatches to cover the pumpkin.  Have them glue the swatches on the pumpkin to totally cover it, then trim off any hanging over the edges.  The pumpkins can be mounted on a bulletin board with the caption: The Patchwork Pumpkin Patch

 

Flannelboard:  Cut out a large pumpkin from orange felt, a stem from green felt, and different kinds of facial expressions from black felt.  Put all into a Center with a flannelboard for students to create their own jack-o-lantern face.

 

Pumpkin, Pumpkin shape book:  Provide each student with a pumpkin shape book with the following text on each page.

 

pg 1: Pumpkin, pumpkin big and round.

(students illustrate the text by drawing a big pumpkin on the page)

 

pg 2: I'm glad you grow upon the ground.

(students draw pumpkin on the vine)

 

pg 3: I'm glad you don't grow in a tree.

(draw pumpkins in a tree)

 

pg 4: Because you might fall down on me!

(draw person or head with a pumpkin sitting on top)

 

~ Author Unknown

 

Do a mini - drawing lesson with them as they complete each page.

 

Patterning:  Use various sizes and shapes to reinforce patterning.  You can use tall pumpkins, short pumpkins, scary jack-o-lanterns, cute jack-o-lanterns, smiling jack-o-lanterns, frowning jack-o-lanterns, pumpkins, leaves, fat pumpkins, thin pumpkins.  If you laminate the pictures, you can reuse them year to year.  The students can practice patterning with them in the pocketchart.  They can make up their own patterns, or you can provide cards programmed with AB or ABC or AABB, etc. to direct them to which patterns you want them to create. 

For those students who aren't at the creating stage yet, you can start a pattern in the pocketchart and have them extend it using the pictures/shapes, or you can provide the beginning of the pattern on a sentence strip and insert it into the pocketchart.  The students will then extend the pattern that you've created on the sentence strip.

For those students who aren't ready to even extend a pattern, you can provide a sentence strip with a completed pattern on it.  Place it in the pocketchart and have the student reproduce the pattern in the row below it. 

Don't forget to laminate all materials so that they'll be reusable from year to year.  When storing them, plainly label them so that you'll know what they are at a glance the next time you use them.  I keep all sizes of ziploc bags for storing pieces such as these.

 

More patterning:  Using the ideas above, you can also have students glue their patterns on to sentence strips using non-reusable shapes.  If desired, you can staple the strip around their head to form a pattern hat.

 

Graphing:  Have students decide what kind of face they'd like on their own jack-o-lantern and graph the results.  (scary, cute, sad, happy, toothless, smiling, frowning, etc.)

 

Mousekin's Golden House:  Read this book, then have students help create a list of animals that could possibly live inside a pumpkin.  Then transfer the activity into a pocketchart activity.  Create a sentence frame:  A _______ could live in a pumpkin.  Provide students with either words/pictures for the answers that they gave previously.  Allow them the opportunity to insert the words/picture cards into the frame and choral read the sentences.  If you create both words and pictures, then the students can insert the words into the sentences then match the correct picture to the text.

 

Pin the Stem on the Pumpkin:  Place a large stemless pumpkin on a wall or bulletin board at student level.  Provide each student the opportunity to be blindfolded and allowed the chance to place a green paper stem on the pumpkin.  (Back the stem with tape so that it will stick.)

 

Discovery Center:  Place lots of different kinds of pumpkins and gourds in a Center along with a magnifying glass for students to observe the similarities and differences.

 

Pumpkin version of Hot Potato:  Play the Hot Potato game, but use a small pumpkin instead.  The students sit in a circle and pass the pumpkin around while music plays.  When the music stops, the child holding the pumpkin goes to sit inside the circle.  The last person left outside the circle wins.

 

Sequencing: I bought a package of pumpkin cookie cutters at Dollar Tree a couple of years ago.  There are about 5 cutters to a pack.  The cutters are graduated in size.  They are perfect for seriation.  They can be used alone or the students can use them with playdough to cut out pumpkins and then sequence them according to size.

If you don't have cookie cutters, then you can also photocopy a pumpkin picture and enlarge or shrink it to make 5 different sizes.

 

Mr. Pumpkin! Well Hello!

You're back again this year!

I see your eyes, I see your nose;

You're grinning ear to ear!

Inside we'll put a candlestick

To make a lantern light;

Then set you on the old front porch

And let you shine all night!

~ Author Unknown

 

Pumpkin, Pumpkin

Pumpkin, pumpkin,

Big and fat,

Turn into a jack-o-lantern,

Just like that!

~ Author Unknown

 

Jack-o-lantern

Jack-o-lantern big and scary

Some are sad, some are merry.

Some are large, some are small,

Some just have no teeth at all!

~ Author Unknown

 

Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pumpkin Bright

Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin bright,

When the goblins ride tonight.

Guide me with your kindly light,

Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin bright.

 

Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin head,

When my "Tricks or Treats" are said.

Will you light me to my bed,

Kind old father pumpkin head?

 

Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin pie,

I'm so sad that I could cry.

Why dear papa lantern, why,

Must you end as pumpkin pie?

 

Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin bright,

Autumn lantern in the night.

You'll be back next year all right,

Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin bright!

~ Author Unknown

 

Pumpkin, Pumpkin

Pumpkin, pumpkin

Sitting on a wall. (children sit down)

Pumpkin, pumpkin,

Tip and fall.  (children fall over)

Pumpkin, pumpkin,

Rolling down the street. (children roll on floor)

Pumpkin, pumpkin,

Trick or treat! (shout "Trick or treat!")

~ Author Unknown

 

Out in the fields where the cornstalks lie

Some pumpkins are sleeping, but by and by,

We'll pick them and bring them one by one,

Into the house for Halloween fun.

We'll scoop out the middle and cut a hat,

Make 2 eyes and a nose, what do you think of that?

Put in a candle to shine right through,

Now they're jack-o-lanterns, BOO!

~ Author Unknown

 

What a funny seed I found,

I wondered what would grow?

So I planted it in the ground,

And now I know!

 

Little leaves were first to sprout,

Growing in a line.

Then golden blossoms opened out

Along the vine.

And then something grew and grew and grew!

The biggest ever seen!

And now I have a pumpkin,

Just in time for HALLOWEEN!

~ Author Unknown

 

Pick a pumpkin from the vine,

Pumpkin round, pumpkin fine.

Pick a pumpkin from the vine,

Let's pick pumpkins.

 

Pick a pumpkin from the vine.

You pick yours. I'll pick mine.

Pick a pumpkin from the vine,

Let's pick pumpkins.

~ Author Unknown

 

Out in the cornfield

The nights are getting cold,

And the farmer's pumpkins

Are turning into gold.

 

He chops down the cornstalks,

They tumble one by one.

So the big, fat pumpkins

Can ripen in the sun.

~ Author Unknown

 

(tune: I'm a Little Teapot)

 

I'm a little pumpkin

Short and stout.

Chock full of seeds that you can scoop out.

When I'm ready I will be,

The cutest jack-o-lantern you ever did see!

~ Author Unknown

 

I'm a Little Pumpkin

(tune: I'm a Little Teapot)

 

I'm a little pumpkin, orange and round.

Here is my smile, here is my frown.

When you take my off, you will see.

All the things inside of me.

~ Author Unknown

 

Way Down Yonder in the Pumpkin Patch

(tune: Paw Paw Patch)

 

Where oh where is Jack-o-lantern?

Where oh where is Jack-o-lantern?

Where oh where is Jack-o-lantern?

Way down yonder in the pumpkin patch.

Pickin up pumpkins .. put em' in the wagon,

Pickin up pumpkins .. put em' in the wagon,

Pickin up pumpkins .. put em' in the wagon,

Way down yonder in the pumpkin patch.

~ Author Unknown

 

Pumpkin Time

(tune: Are You Sleeping?)

 

I like pumpkins, I like pumpkins,

Round and fat, round and fat.

See them growing on the vine.

I can't wait to go pick mine.

Pumpkin time, pumpkin time.

~ Author Unknown

 

Pumpkins on the Porch

(tune: Ten Little Indians)

 

One little, two little, three little pumpkins,

Four little, five little, six little pumpkins,

Seven little, eight little, nine little pumpkins,

Sitting on the porch.

But the tenth little pumpkin said,

"Don't put that candle in me ..

It might scorch! Ouch!!!"

~ Author Unknown

 

Three Little Pumpkins

(Ten Little Indians)

 

One little, two little, three little pumpkins,

Rolled down the lane like funny bumpkins.

Had their faces carved and thought they were somethin's

Funny Halloween jack-o-lanterns!

~ Author Unknown

 

Pick A Pumpkin

(tune: London Bridge)

 

Pick a pumpkin from the vine (pretend to pick up a pumpkin)

Pumpkin round, pumpkin fine (make gesture big and round)

Pick a pumpkin from the vine (pretend to pick up a pumpkin)

Let's pick pumpkins! (gesture "come with me")

 

Pick a pumpkin from the vine (pretend to pick up a pumpkin)

You pick yours.  I'll pick mine. (point to you and me)

Pick a pumpkin from the vine (pretend to pick up a pumpkin)

Let's pick pumpkins! (gesture "come with me")

~ Author Unknown

 

Pumpkin, Pumpkin

(tune: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star)

 

Pumpkin, pumpkin on a vine,

When I pick you, you'll be mine.

I'll carve a face for Halloween,

And put you out where you'll be seen.

Pumpkin, pumpkin on a vine,

When I pick you you'll be mine.

~ Author Unknown

 

(tune: The Muffin Man)

 

Have you seen the pumpkin man,

The pumpkin man, the pumpkin man?

Have you seen the pumpkin man,

Who lives in the pumpkin patch?

~ Author Unknown

 

In My Garden

(tune: The Muffin Man)

 

Do you know how the pumpkins grow,

Pumpkins grow, pumpkins grow,

Do you know how the pumpkins grow,

In my garden?

 

First, I plant some pumpkin seeds,

Some pumpkin seeds, some pumpkin seeds,

First, I plant some pumpkin seeds,

In my garden.

 

Then the vines and leaves will grow,

Leaves will grow, leaves will grow,

Then the vines and leaves will grow,

In my garden.

 

Then the buds will turn to blossoms,

Turn to blossoms, turn to blossoms,

Then the buds will turn to blossoms,

In my garden.

 

Then green pumpkins will grow,

Will grow, will grow,

Then green pumpkins will grow,

In my garden.

 

At last the pumpkins turn to orange,

Turn to orange, turn to orange,

At last the pumpkins turn to orange,

In my garden.

 

Now I'll have some jack-o-lanterns,

Jack-o-lanterns, jack-o-lanterns,

Now I'll have some jack-o-lanterns,

In my garden.

~ Author Unknown

 

This would be a good song to sing while using the life cycle of a pumpkin activity already given (where you pull the pictures from the pumpkin).  You might have to add the jack-o-lantern picture to the end.

 

Pumpkin Pancakes

 http://www.teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrepro/lessonplans/

pumpkins.htm

Pumpkin Dessert

 

1 pkg instant vanilla pudding

1 t pumpkin pie spice

1 small can of pumpkin

1 C cold milk

1/2 t nutmeg

1/2 t cinnamon

 

Mix all ingredients together.  Pour into graham cracker crust and chill for one hour.

 

Pumpkin Treat

 

1 boxed spice cake mix

1 can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

 

Follow directions for cake mix.  Then add pumpkin to the mix.  Mix together and pour into an ungreased 9x13 pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 35 mins. 

 

Note: This recipe calls for baking the treat in an "ungreased" pan.  Personally, I'd think that the pan needed to be greased.

 

Pumpkin Painting:  Buy several small pumpkins and cut them in half.  Let the children dip the pumpkin halves in orange or fall colored paint to make pumpkin prints.  If the prints seem to come out "gloppy", try using less paint and/or resting the cut side of the pumpkin on papertowels before painting.

 

File Folder Activities:  I've made these two file folder activities to use with this unit.  In the first one, the students have to match the facial features.  And this is hard for some of my students.  In the second activity, they have to sequence the pumpkins in the correct order on the vine.  The pumpkins for this one are made from small pumpkin shaped notepads.  All materials are laminated.  I also make 2 of each activity so that I'll have one to send home in Homework Totes, and one to keep in class.

 

 

5 Little Pumpkins book:  This version of 5 Little Pumpkins is not the same one that we're use to (sitting on the fence).  However, this is a delightful little book.  The pumpkins that you see in the picture show through circles cut in each page.  It would make a cute flannelboard activity, as the text begins with 5 pumpkins that quickly dwindle down to becoming 5 jack-o-lanterns.

 

~ William Boniface

 

 

Pumpkin Pie Recipe Comprehension (printable):

http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/class/pdfs/2005F/051028_bp8.pdf

 

This is great for 2nd graders and use to be on our state test (we don't take it any more).  If you want to cook in your class, it's a great way to add in literacy.  Have your students read and follow a recipe to do the cooking, then answer comprehension questions afterwards.  You can also have them sequence the steps using either numbers or cut and paste.

 

Links:

The Teacher's Bookbag (pumpkin glyph)

http://www.teachersbookbag.com

 

2nd Gr Pumpkin printables

http://www.littlebooklane.com/SF2/Pumpkincycle.pdf

 

2nd Gr Vocabulary Cards

http://www.littlebooklane.com/SF2/Pumpkincrds.pdf

 

2nd Gr "I Have, Who Has?" game

http://www.littlebooklane.com/SF2/IHavePumpkin.pdf

 

Pumpkin Writing Stationary

http://www.littlebooklane.com/SF2/Halloween%20Sta.pdf

 

From Pumpkin to Pie emergent reader

http://www.littlebooklane.com/SF2/PumpkintoPie.pdf

 

From Pumpkin to Pie sequencing

http://www.littlebooklane.com/SF2/PumpkinSequence.pdf

 

Pumpkin Dip

http://www.littlebooklane.com/SF2/PumpkinDip.pdf

 

Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater

http://www.littlebooklane.com/SF2/Peterpoem.pdf

 

Stages of a Pumpkin

http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/class/pdfs/2006F/060929bp3.pdf

 

Virtual Pumpkin Patch

http://redwood.stormloader.com/thepatch.htm

 

Pumpkin Clipart - Big pumpkin

http://www.backyardgardener.com/pump.html

 

Pumpkin Seed Experiment

http://www.abcteach.com/MonthtoMonth/October/pumpkinseed.htm

 

Pumpkin Seed Experiment Form

http://www.abcteach.com/MonthtoMonth/October/form.htm

 

Pumpkin Seed Experiment Graph

http://www.abcteach.com/MonthtoMonth/October/graph.htm

 

Pumpkin Seed Experiment Weighing Sheet

http://www.abcteach.com/MonthtoMonth/October/weight.htm

 

Pumpkin Seed Tally Sheet

http://www.abcteach.com/MonthtoMonth/October/tally.htm

 

Pumpkin Shape Book

http://www.abcteach.com/MonthtoMonth/October/pumpkin.htm

 

The Great Pumpkin Detectives Web Quest

http://www2.lhric.org/kat/PMPKS.HTM

 

Pp is for Pumpkins

http://www.kinderhive.net/P.html

 

Addie's Pumpkin Potpourri

http://205.180.85.40/w/pc.cgi?mid=13403&sid=7271

 

CanTeach: Songs & Poems - Pumpkins and Jack O' Lanterns

http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems79.html

 

Bear With Pumpkin coloring page

Go to Graphic Garden and click on "For the little ones"

http://www.graphicgarden.com

 

A Pumpkin Unit

http://www.teachingheart.net/apumpkinunit.html

 

The Pumpkin Patch @ KinderKorner.com

http://www.kinderkorner.com/pumpkinpatch.html

 

Pumpkins

http://www.littlegiraffes.com/pumpkins.html

 

Pumpkins

http://www.geocities.com/mrs_pohlmeyer/pumpkins

 

Life Cycle of Pumpkin

http://www.ramseysfarm.com/lifecycle.htm

 

Pumpkins, Pumpkins, Pumpkins

http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/KingsParkES/technology/t4t/pumpkinbk/

pumpbk.htm

 

The Great Pumpkin Story

http://extension.usu.edu/aitc/resources/pdf/fieldguide2/pumpkin.pdf

 

Window Pumpkin Faces

http://www.kidsdomain.com/craft/pumpkin.html

 

Pumpkin Life Cycle (printable)

http://64.65.58.196/printables/pumpkin_lesson.pdf

 

Museums In the Classroom Pumpkin Project

http://www.chias.org/www/edu/mitc/wkshp/pumpkin/pumpkin.html

 

Pumpkin Circle

http://garden@pumpkincircle.com/

 

Piece of Pumpkin Pie (online jigsaw puzzle - 6 pieces)

http://www.jigzone.com/ms/z.php?zi=E4900005713F&z=6_piece_classic

 

Pumpkins In the Primary Classroom

http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrepro/lessonplans/pumpkins.htm

 

Pumpkins

http://www.kinderthemes.com/pumpkins.html

 

Swan's Pumpkin Farm

http://www.thepumpkinfarm.com/

 

Pumpkin Investigations

http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/660.html

 

Pumpkin Activities

http://www.sadako.com/pumpkin/activities.html

 

Pumpkins

http://www.angelfire.com/ma/1stGrade/paged.html

 

Pumpkin Ideas

http://kids-learn.org/pumpkins/ideas.htm

 

Idea Box - Early Childhood Education and Activity Resources

http://www.theideabox.com/special.nsf/halloween.html

 

Fall Harvest Stationary

http://www.homeandoffice.hp.com/hho/us/eng/fall_harvest_stationery.html

 

What To Do With a Pumpkin
http://www.kinderart.com/seasons/whattodowithapumpkin.shtml

 

Jack-o-Faces (free printable Little Book)

http://www.nellieedge.com/

 

How a Pumpkin Grows (printable)

http://www.kizclub.com/Topics/food/pumpkin.pdf

 

Pumpkin, Pumpkin printables

http://www.arkansas.gov/childcare/services/printedmats/pdf/story/pumpkin.pdf

 

 

 

 

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10/20/02

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