Pumpkin Investigation

Pumpkin Investigation

This pumpkin investigation aligns with science, math, and writing opportunities for grades three through five, if students are prepped accordingly. Students need to be in the mindset of scientists and serious observers or mathematicians. If you are in an area where pumpkins are a main crop, it is beneficial to connect it to your local economics, as well. This cross curricular, hands-on opportunity allows for parent or other staff volunteers and a small group setting for investigation.

Included in this product:

• Teacher notes for how to implement the project in class

• Nonfiction reading passage explaining scientist skills like observation and communication

• A pumpkin observation packet, leading students through estimations, observations, and measurements of a pumpkin (either individual or in a group.

• Some pages have standard measurement and others have metric

• A rubric for grading the packet

• Intended for science grading, but could also be used for math if points were specific to those skills

• Parent permission notes for students to participate

• Parent volunteer letter and guidelines

Supplies Needed:

• 1 pumpkin per group

• Newspaper or butcher paper – to cover desks or tables

• Bucket (0r buckets) filled with water – towels to dry

• Baby/bathroom scale

• Cloth/flexible tape measures

• Large spoons or scoops

• Adults willing to use knives

Next Gen Science Standards Covered (On top of the previously tagged Math and Writing standards)

• 3-5-ETS1-1. Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.

• 3-5-ETS1-3. Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.

**Check pages carefully, as there are duplicates of the questions with some asking for standard units of measurement and some asking for metric units.

Total Pages: 13 pages

Answer Key: Rubric only

Teaching Duration: 2 hour session for project, skills apply multiple times throughout the year