Pumpkins

For our final STEAM class we decided to center our activities around pumpkins since it is fall and the middle of harvesting season. We talked about how pumpkins are living things because they eat, and breath, and grow. We classified the pumpkins as plants because they start from a seed and grow leaves. We showed the kids the inside of a pumpkin and let them look and play with the seeds that we had previously scooped out and put in plastic bags. We then talked about the shapes of pumpkins. They come in all different sizes. We measured the height  and width of pumpkins with ribbons and weighed pumpkins on a scale. 

We asked the kids if they have ever picked pumpkins from a pumpkin patch. We then had them attempt to pick up pumpkins (pom poms) using different tools (a straw, a clothespin, or popsicle sticks). We talked about which tool was easiest to use, which tool would pick the patch the fastest, etc.

Next, we did a felt board story of 5 little pumpkins sitting on the gate. We asked the kids to make a gate out of materials (clothespins and popsicle sticks) to hold 5 pumpkins (yogurt caps). We scaled up the activity and had them build a gate with cups and cardboard to hold real pumpkins as well.  

Our final STEAM challenge was based on the book The Runaway Pumpkin by Kevin Lewis. The kids had to design a pumpkin bed to stop a pumpkin that was rolling down the ramp before it crashed into the wall. We started with a fake pumpkin and then moved to a real pumpkin. Then we used the big 23 pound pumpkin that we had weighed earlier in the day. We noted it was harder to stop the bigger pumpkin than the smaller one because it rolled with more momentum. The kids came up with all sorts of pumpkin beds.

We had a great time teaching your kids and hope they loved this introduction to biology. We look forward to our new session - chemistry, which will start after the holidays. You can sign up at the Pat Bereskin Art Gallery or online www.bereskinartgallery.com/classes/. Thanks.