Fall is the perfect time of year to explore pumpkins with your students! While your students are chatting about their Halloween costumes, sneak in a little simple science lesson as your open up your pumpkins and look inside with this exploring a pumpkin activity.
Getting Exploring A Pumpkin Activity Ready
This is a messy science activity your students are going to LOVE!
Materials:
- Sharp Knife
- Bowl
- Spoon
- Printables
- Crayons
- Yellow Yarn
- Glue
- Scissors
I suggest you lay down newspaper or butcher paper to make clean up easy!
Doing Exploring A Pumpkin Activity
Start by using your Five Senses to feel, smell, and hear the outside of the pumpkin.
Next, adults will need to help to cut each pumpkin from the stem down through the middle of the pumpkin.
Once the pumpkin is open, allow students to feel the inside of the pumpkin skin, the guts, and the seeds.
Next, use a spoon to scoop all of the insides out and save the seeds for a later activity (or for roasting!).
Use the recording sheet to record pumpkin findings.
To get this freebie, use the ‘click here to download’ button at the bottom of this page!
Use the pumpkin outline sheet and colored it in according to how the actual pumpkin looks.
Next, cut 1-2 inch pieces of yellow yarn and glued on, this represented the guts of the pumpkin.
After the yarn is on, glue on some of the seeds from the actual pumpkin. It helped them stick with the glue if we wiped them off with a towel first.
The Science Behind Exploring A Pumpkin
This activity helps children explore their sensory skills. Feeling the various parts of the pumpkin and seeing how the pieces fit together. Part of the five senses are engaged by feeling the pumpkin, smelling as well as observing. Observation skills are encouraged in this activity as well.
Need more great pumpkin ideas?
12 Pumpkin Books for Little Learners
You might also like Pumpkin Math and Literacy Centers!
Can you not find a resource that you would LOVE to have for your classroom? Contact me and I would be happy to make it for you.
Download Your Exploring a Pumpkin Observation Worksheet Printable:
Click the picture below to download.
Love this! I have been thinking of something like this for my 3-year old! Is your pumpkin recording sheet available somewhere?
Hi there Debbie, this is such a fun activity – kids love it. The download for the observation worksheet has been downloaded. Scroll to the bottom of the page and you’ll see the button that says click here to download. Thank you so much, I hope you enjoy it.