Showing posts with label Social Studies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Social Studies. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Have You Ever Seen A Pumpkin?

Have you ever seen a pumpkin, a pumpkin, a pumpkin?
Have you ever seen a pumpkin that grows on a vine?
A round one, a tall one.
A fat one, a small one.
Have you ever seen a pumpkin that grows on a vine?

I've seen this poem in so many places online and in so many pumpkin units and my children love it!  We sing it to the tune of "Have you ever seen a Lassie?" 

This pumpkin unit crossed over from Science to English/Language Arts to Social Studies to Math. There was so much learning taking place! I did my best to catch it all on camera for you to see!


One math center planned and taught by Mrs. Miskelly, our intern from Winthrop, challenged the children to put each pumpkin in order by size.  Then, they had to order the pumpkins based on how much each pumpkin weighed. 


Mrs. Claire, one of our wonderful parent volunteers, got to experiment with the children during center time.  We set her up with a big tub of water and the children predicted and then tested if pumpkins sink or float and if the size of each one mattered. 


Also during center time, the children created and painted pumpkins from brown paper bags!



The children also got to read and illustrate the pumpkin poem at the top of this post.


Mrs. Misenheimer and Austin enjoy the poem together! 

Audrey and Kailyn draw their pumpkins on a vine.


Mrs. Miskelly put out some pumpkin seeds and measurement tools at another math center one day.  The children counted them and compared the amount each measuring cup would hold. 



How's all that for learning about Pumpkins? 

And that's just the beginning--there is MORE to come!

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Pumpkin Tasting Day

Now what would a GREAT Pumpkin Unit be like without a yummy Pumpkin Tasting Day? 

I sent a request to the most amazing group of parents and they responded with some YUMMY pumpkin treats!  I was shocked at how much the children tried and actually liked! 

Pumpkin Bread and Pumpkin Butter


Dario was a fan!


Of course, Pumpkin Pie!


Pumpkin Seeds and Pumpkin Marshmallows!!
The children said the marshmallows tasted more like cinnamon that anything else.


One of our sweet parents made us some Pumpkin Cookies to taste!


Mrs. Miskelly, our intern from Winthrop, made Pumpkin Dip and it was a hit!


Chloƫ approves!


One last favorite was Pumpkin Cake!


 
Even though it may look like all fun and food, this tasting time followed a very important Social Studies lesson based on producers and consumers.  The children learned that Pumpkin Pie doesn't just appear at the grocery store...there are many steps before that!  But more on that for another post!