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- The
Topic:
- Pumpkins
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- Easier - A
pumpkin is a large round orange fruit. Pumpkins grow on a
vine along the ground. The thick inside pulp can be eaten
and is often used for making pies. People in the United
States also carve and decorate pumpkins into
jack-o'-lanterns to celebrate Halloween.
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- Harder - The
pumpkin plant is a vegetable that yields round or oval
fruits, also called pumpkins. The pumpkin plant is a
green bushy vine that has large, prickly leaves, and
produces short-lived blossoms. These yellow male and
female flowers open for one day. More pumpkin blossoms
are male than female. Male blossoms have pollen that is
transferred to the female flowers by bees. Only
pollinated female blossoms develop into pumpkins.
Therefore, few of the pumpkin flowers actually produce a
pumpkin.
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- Pumpkins are related to squash. Most pumpkin fruits
are orange, but some are white, yellow, or other colors.
They have a hard outer shell that is lined inside with a
thicker layer of coarse pulp. Inside that, the pumpkin's
central cavity holds seeds within its stringy mass. The
mature pumpkin fruit usually weighs 15 to 30 pounds (6.8
to 14 kilograms), but some giants may weigh over 800
pounds (363 kilograms). The eatable pulp of a pumpkin is
rich in vitamin A and potassium. People cook pumpkins in
various ways, especially as pumpkin pie. Pumpkin seeds, a
source of protein and iron, are a popular snack when
roasted. Some farmers raise pumpkins for livestock
feed.
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- Pumpkins
(Grades K-3) at Enchanted Learning
- http://www.enchantedlearning.com/themes/pumpkin.shtml
- Here you find lots of pumpkin activities, rhymes, a
maze, and more.
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- Pumpkins
and More from University of Illinois
Extension
- http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/pumpkins/
- Learn history and facts about this squash, get
recipes for things like pumpkin seeds, or have some
pumpkin-y fun.
- Related Website:
- 2) Pumpkin Patch from Ohio State University
Extension
- http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~vegnet/reports/pumpkins.htm
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- Pumpkin
Circle Project
- http://www.pumpkincircle.com/
and http://www.sadako.com/pumpkin/index.html
- This website site provides information about the
award-winning Pumpkin Circle video (narrated by
Danny Glover with music by George Winston) as well as the
Pumpkin Circle picture book. The site also has
information about growing pumpkins.
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- Pumpkin
Nook
- http://www.pumpkinnook.com/
- This site is dedicated to everything there is to say,
do and know about pumpkins; how to grow them, carving
pumpkins, recipes for cooking and eating, pumpkin songs
and games, the history of pumpkins and more.
- Related Websites:
- 2) Pumpkineaters http://www.pumpkineaters.com/
- 3) Pumpkin Patch http://www.backyardgardener.com/pumkin.html
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- After exploring lots of the pumpkin
websites, complete one or more of these
activities.
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- Read A Pumpkin Story. You can find
some online at KidsDomain (http://www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/halloween/stories.html).
Also visit your library media center to pick
out a pumpkin book. After you finish reading
it, write a review of it. Include a summary
of the book and your opinion.
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- Complete Some Pumpkin Activities.
You can find an online quiz, fun facts, word
scramble and more at Learning Activities
(http://www.thepumpkinfarm.com/learn.html)
from Swan's Pumpkin Farm.
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- Do You Like Pumpkin Puzzles?
Younger learners might want to start with the
6-piece (1) Pumpkin and Boy (http://www.jigzone.com/ms/z.php?zi=02900001882c&2=6_piece_classic)
and (2) Pumpkin Patch puzzles
(http://www.jigzone.com/ms/z.php?zi=589000019404&z=6_piece_classic).
Then see how long it takes to put together
the (3) Pumpkin Jigsaw Puzzle
(http://www.primarygames.com/puzzles/jigsaw/pumpkin/PumpkinJigsaw.htm).
Then move on to the (4) Pumpkin Ledge
(http://hartford.about.com/library/puzzles/npumpkinledgepuzzle.htm),
(5) Potted Pumpkins (http://hartford.about.com/library/puzzles/npottedpumpkinpuzzle.htm),
(6) Happy Pumpkins (http://www.freejigsawpuzzles.com/beta/beta_test_happy_pumpkins.htm),
(7) Pink Pumpkinheads (http://hartford.about.com/library/puzzles/npinkpumpkinheadspuzzle.htm),
and (8) Thanksgiving (http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/thanksgiving/puzzles/2.htm).
You can change the difficulty of some of
these puzzles by choosing the type of shapes
and increasing the number of pieces. Find a
different type of pumpkin puzzle to solve at
(9) Pumpkin Slider Puzzle (http://freehalloween.com/sliderpuzzle/sliderpuzzle.htm)
- - its a tough one!
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- Make Some Pumpkin Food. Try the
recipe at (1) Vala's Pumpkin Pie
(http://www.thepumpkinfarm.com/pie.html)or
pick one from the many at (2) Pumpkin
Recipes (http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/pumpkins/recipes.html)
from University of Illinois Extension's
Pumpkins and More, (3) Recipes that
Call for Pumpkin (http://www.pastrywiz.com/archive/category/pumpkin.htm),
or (4) Pumpkin Recipes Galore!
(http://www.pumpkinnook.com/cookbook.htm#recipe)
from Pumpkineaters. You might even
want to learn how to roast pumpkin seeds at
(5) Roasted Pumpkin Seeds (http://www.kraftfoods.com/main.aspx?
. . . id=54147) from Kraft and (6)
Preserving Sunflower and Pumpkin Seeds and
Popcorn (http://ndsuext.nodak.edu/extnews/askext/foodstor/411.htm)
from North Dakota State University
Extension Service.
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- Carve A Pumpkin. Get some carving
and decorating ideas from sites like these .
. .
- 1) Giant Pumpkin Carvings
http://gophergirl.freeservers.com/
- 2) Pumpkin Carving 101 http://www.pumpkin-carving.com/
- 3) Pumpkin Carving from Pumpkin
Nook http://www.pumpkinnook.com/hween/carve.htm
- 4) Pumpkin Carving Party from
Kraft
- http://www.kraftfoods.com/Kf/ff/Halloween04/Pumpkin+Place.htm
- 5) Pumpkin Decorating from
Halloween Kids http://www.halloweenkids.com/k_decorating.htm
- 6) Pumpkin Masters http://www.pumpkinmasters.com/
- You can also carve a pumpkin online at
Create Your Own Jack O'Lantern
(http://www.allhallowseve.com/create/index.html),
Carve-a-Pumpkin (http://www.primarygames.com/holidays/halloween/carving/carve.htm),
and Carve Your Own Virtual Pumpkin!
(http://www.thepumpkinfarm.com/jack/jackboard.html)
from Swan Pumpkin Farm, Inc.
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- Complete A Pumpkin WebQuest. Adapt
or follow the instructions that you find at
one of the following webQuest sites . .
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- 1) Great Pumpkin Detectives (Grade
K-1) by L. Palmieri and B. Demetriow
- http://www2.lhric.org/kat/PMPKS.HTM
- 2) Pumpkin Web Quest
- http://www.css.edu/users/ggaetz/web/Pumpkin.html
- 3) Pumpkin Patch (Grade K) by J.
Johnson
- http://www.fd.appstate.edu/webquests/messner_f01/pumpkin/punpkin.htm
- 4) Pumpkin Patch (Grade 2) by M.B.
Spell
- http://www.sampson.k12.nc.us/Countypage/Technology/Web%20Quest
. . .
- 6) Pumpkin Patch Webquest
http://www.gmrsd.com/Liberty/tech/pumpkinpatch.html
- 8) Pumpkin Webquest (Grade 1)
- http://www.mid-prairie.k12.ia.us/wt/classroomnews/pumpkinwebquest.html
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- Try Growing A Giant Pumpkin. Find
some startup help at Starting the Giant
Pumpkin Seedling (http://www.backyardgardener.com/wcgp/tips/seedstarts.html)
by R. Waterman and other sites at World
Class Giant Pumpkin (http://www.backyardgardener.com/wcgp/index.html)
from Backyard Gardener.
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- How Do You Carve A Pumpkin?
There's definitely more than one answer to
that question, but what is the right way to
carve a pumpkin? Write out step-by-step
instructions for the task. What types of
safety considerations should be taken?
Include them in your procedure.
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- Compare And Contrast Apples &
Pumpkins. Analyze pumpkins and apples to
identify how they are alike and different.
Use a Venn diagram to show your findings.
Learn about this technique at Venn Diagram
Basic (http://www.graphic.org/venbas.html).
Place the things that are different in the
outside circle sections, and the ways they
are alike in the shared inner section. Find
lots of information about apples at a
companion eduScapes 42eXplore project:
Apples (http://42explore/apples.htm).
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- Write Some Pumpkin Poetry. Get
some startup help and find lots of examples
and help from Mrs. Silverman's Pumpkin
Patch (http://kids-learn.org/pumpkins/index.htm).
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- Website By Kids For Kids
- Some
Halloween Pumpkins
- http://www.dl.ket.org/latin1/special/student/projects/pumpkins.htm
- Here's a gallary of pumpkins decorated by students of
Greek mythology.
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- More Pumpkin Sites
- Giant
Pumpkins
- http://www.giantpumpkins.com/Index.htm
- This is a place to find out new information about
growing and having fun with giant pumpkins.
- Related Websites:
- 2) World Class Giant Pumpkin from Backyard
Gardener http://www.backyardgardener.com/wcgp/index.html
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- Pumpkin
Clip Art at The Pumpkin Patch
- http://www.eskimo.com/~mcalpin/pump.html
- Here you find lots of free pumpkin clip art that you
can use, plus links to other clip art sites.
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- Pumpkin
Patch by S.A Silverman
- http://kids-learn.org/pumpkins/index.htm
- Here you find lots of pumpkin poetry written by
stundents plus facts and links for pumpkins.
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- Websites For Teachers
- Addie's
Pumpkin Potpourri by A. Gaines
- http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Aegean/2221/pumpkin.html
- Here is a collection of pumpkin-themed activities to
keep little hands learning.
- Similar Website:
- 2) Pumpkin Circle http://www.sadako.com/pumpkin/activities.html
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- Halloween
Creative Writing Project (Grades 2-6) by J. Offt
from A to Z Teacher Stuff
- http://atozteacherstuff.com/lessons/creative_writing_Halloween.shtml
- The lesson focus is on creativity as students write
from the pumpkin's point of view to convince the teacher
not to pick it to be carved into a jack-o'-lantern!
- Other Related Lessons from A to Z Teacher
Stuff:
- 2) Pass The Pumpkin (Preschool) by P. Diekhoff
http://atozteacherstuff.com/lessons/PassthePumpkin.shtml
- 3) Pumpkin Circuit (Grade 2) by L. Slaughter
http://atozteacherstuff.com//lessons/PumpkinCircuit.shtmll
- 4) Pumpkin Investigation (Grades K-2) by A. Post
- http://atozteacherstuff.com/lessons/PumpkinBook.shtml
- 5) Pumpkin Patch (Grade 1) by S. Mitchell http://atozteacherstuff.com/lessons/PumpkinPatch.shtml
- 6) Pumpkin, Pumpkin Yummy Treats (Preschool-Grade K)
by A. Koch
- http://atozteacherstuff.com/lessons/PumpkinTreat.shtml
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- Harvest
/ Pumpkin Poems and Songs from Teachers Net
Lesson Exchange
- http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/202.html
- Here is a collection of poetry and songs, mainly
about pumpkins.
- Another Related Site from Teachers Net Lesson
Exchange:
- 2) Pumpkin Investigations http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/660.html
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- Pumpkin
Pumpkin by Jeanne Titherington
- http://www.ri.net/schools/Central_Falls/ch/heazak/pumpkin.html
- This book is the story of a boy, named Jamie, who
plants some pumpkin seeds. As the pages turn so does time
and a wonderful sequence of the growth of a pumpkin.
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- Pumpkin
Project (Grades K-6) by By D. Brady from
Greentree Naturals
- http://www.greentreenaturals.com/pumpkin_project.htm
- This site describes a pumpkin growing project.
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- Museums
in the Classroom Pumpkin Project
- http://www.chias.org/www/edu/mitc/wkshp/pumpkin/pumpkin.html
- The lesson is all about those lovely, roundish,
orange fruits--pumpkins. Included in this project are
hands-on activities, links to other web sites on
pumpkins, extension ideas, and a discussion of the
standards met by this project.
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- 101
Things to Do with a Pumpkin
- http://www.youthonline.ca/halloween/101pumpkin.shtml
- Harvest a crop of fun-filled learning with this
passel of pumpkin ideas and activities for math, writing,
science, art, and fun using the ever-popular
pumpkin!
- Related Lesson / Unit Plans:
- 2) Learning About Pumpkins http://teachingheart.net/apumpkinunit.html
- 3) Ms. Pieczko's Pumpkin Patch http://www.kinderhive.net/P.html
- 4) Pumpkin Unit from Kindergarten Kapers
http://members.tripod.com/~cbauder/newpage21.htm
- 5) Pumpkin Unit http://www.teachingheart.net/apumpkinunit.html
- 6) Pumpkin Unit http://www.busyteacherscafe.com/units/pumpkins.htm
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- Pumpkin
Observations by L. Cody and L. Roccotagliata
(Grades 2-3) from the Educator's Reference
Desk
- http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Science/Agriculture/AGR0008.html
- Students will learn that all pumpkins are different.
They vary in size, weight, and the number of seeds found
inside. Students will practice several scientific
processes, including observing, predicting, and recording
observations as a pumpkin is examined.
- Related Websites:
- 2) Pumpkin Exploration from Southwest Educational
Development Laboratory
- http://www.sedl.org/scimath/compass/v01n02/pumpkin.html
- 3) Pumpkin Life Cycle (Grade 1) by D. Heinemann
- http://dnr.state.il.us/entice/plants/pumpkin%20life%20cycle_Kto2.htm
- 4) Pumpkin Science http://www.monroe2boces.org/programs.cfm?subpage=458&searchfor=pumpkin%20science
- 5) Pumpkin Seed Comparison (Grades 5-6) by A.
Maratea-Crowder from AskERIC
- http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Science/Botany/BOT0083.html
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- Pumpkin
Pie for All! (Grades 2-7) by D. Lehar
- http://score.kings.k12.ca.us/lessons/pumpkin.htm
- Let's make pumpkin pie for the whole class! Imagine
making enough pie so that everyone could have a piece.
How about enough pie to take one home. The only problem
is that the recipe you have makes 1 pie at a time which
only has 8 pieces.
- Related Activity Ideas:
- 2) Estimating With Pumpkin Seeds by M. Stout
- http://www.lessonplanspage.com/MathEstimationPumpkin.htm
- 3) Pumpkin Estimation http://www.mtlebanon.k12.pa.us/element/elemmath/pumpkin.htm
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- Pump
Up the Curriculum With Pumpkins! from
Education World
- http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson028.shtml
- This lesson planning article provides lots of ideas
for pumping up the curriculum with pumpkins! Jump into
pumpkin facts and pumpkin lore. Try pumpkin science,
pumpkin math, pumpkin writing.
- Related Website:
- 2) Great Pumpkins from RiverDeep http://www.riverdeep.net/current/2001/10/102201t_pumpkins.jhtml
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- Storyboard
of "The Biggest Pumpkin Ever" by I. Psaras
(Grades 2-3) from the Educator's Reference
Desk
- http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Language_Arts/Story_Telling/STT0003.html
- This lesson begins with After reading "The Biggest
Pumpkin Ever" by Steven Kroll aloud.
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- Created by
Annette
Lamb and
Larry
Johnson, 10/02. Updated
by King Family, 9/04.
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