A guide for using our resources

Children will investigate and answer questions about pumpkins.

Vocabulary: investigate, rot

Science Focus: plants

  1. Watch a Video:
    Investigate Pumpkins

     

  2. Read the Issue:

    Investigate Pumpkins

     

  3. Play a Game:
    Build Your Own Pumpkin

    Skill: vocabulary

     

  4. Complete Skill Sheets 

    Reading Checkpoint

    Skill: key details

     

    Predictions

    Skill: text evidence

     

    Pumpkin Patch Hunt

    Skill: phonics

     

  5. Lesson Boosters 

  •  Paired Text Suggestion: How Big Could Your Pumpkin Grow? by Wendell Minor

  • Punctuation Hunt: Question Marks

     

  • Hands-on Activity: My Pumpkin Research Notebook

CCSS (and states that have similar standards): RL.1.1 key details; RF.1.1 ending punctuation; RF.1.2 understand phonemes; L.1.1 adjectives; SL.1.2 ask and answer questions

Simple, spectacular ideas to boost your lessons.

Paired Text Suggestion: How Big Could Your Pumpkin Grow? by Wendell Minor

  • Investigate the titular question in this adjective-filled journey through America. It is sure to inspire your imagination!

Punctuation Hunt: Question Marks

  • Ask students to find all the question marks in the issue. Circle them. Practice saying each question with expression!

Adjective Hunt: Describe and Draw!

  • Tell students to find and underline adjectives in the issue. Write down all the adjectives students find. Have students take turns picking one of the adjectives and drawing something that word makes them think of. Volunteers can guess what adjective they chose! Challenge students to draw something that is not a pumpkin! Examples of adjectives from the issue: smooth, mushy, stinky, orange, gooey, stringy.

Hands-on Activity: My Pumpkin Research Notebook

Skills: investigation, writing

Materials: My Pumpkin Research Notebook skill sheets, pumpkin(s), pencils, coloring tools, scissors

  • Students will become pumpkin scientists and fill out their very own research notebook!
  • Provide each student with a My Pumpkin Research Notebook skill sheet. Ask them to cut around the big rectangle. Then fold the paper over to create their very own research notebook! You may need to model the direction of the folds so that each page is visible and right side up.
  • Ask students to write their name on the cover and decorate their pumpkin with a face.
  • Introduce a class pumpkin, or give a pumpkin to small groups of students. Tell students they will explore their pumpkin and write down what they learn in their notebook. Just like a scientist!
  • Have students open up their notebook to the “All About Me” page. Read the prompts and encourage students to fill out their notebook with information on their pumpkins. Continue following the prompts on each page.
  • On the last page, have students make predictions and test their ideas by putting the pumpkins in water and cutting into the pumpkins.