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Theme Fun: Pumpkins
October and November are great months to use this theme which is based on pumpkins.
Online Lesson Ideas:
Pumpkin Unit Study
Pumpkin Creative Writing
Pumpkin Investigations
Pumpkin Circuit
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Aegean/2221/pumpkin.html
http://www.ri.net/schools/Central_Falls/ch/heazak/pumpkin.html
http://www.angelfire.com/ma/1stGrade/paged.html
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/pumpkins/
Barbara Pratt's theme on Pumpkins (with printables)
http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson028.shtml
http://webtech.kennesaw.edu/jcheek3/pumpkins.htm
Snack Ideas:
Pumpkin Marmalade
Pumpkin Fudge
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Pumpkin Bars
Pumpkin Cooler
Pumpkin Pie Leather and Pumpkin Pie Chips
http://holidayorganizer.com/gifts/stuffers/punkpoop.html
Pumpkin Pudding Cones:
1/3 can of pumpkin pie filling with spices
8 oz. prepared whipped topping
2 packages of instant vanilla pudding
milk
ice cream cones
Let the children help mix the pudding with the milk according to instant pudding directions. Add the pumpkin pie filling and stir well (or use electric mixer). The children then spoon the mixture into ice cream cones. "Frost" the tops with whipped topping (note: I sometimes just make the pudding without the ice cream cones and just use small dixie cups and spoons to eat).
Craft Ideas:
Pumpkin Pie Spice Ornaments
A Pumpkin Patch
Pumpkin Mosaic
Pumpkin Globe
Paper Bag Pumpkin
Jack O Lantern Mask
Finger Puppets
String of Pumpkins
Pumpkin Cans - Use collected and clean vegetable cans to make goody pumpkins. Spray paint cans orange, about 2 coats and let dry. With paint markers, have students draw pumpkin faces on the cans. Have an adult drill holes into both sides of the top of the can and loop wire for a handle. I cut small, inexpensive material out to line the inside of the can so sharp edges would not be a bother. Fill with goodies.
Pumpkin Sun Catchers - Use matching cut out pumpkin patterns with no center to glue orange cellophane or transparent sheets in the center and sandwich the two patterns. Add a bit of green for the stem and a hole to hang from ceiling or on a window. You can also cut out eyes, nose and mouth from yellow transparent sheets and use a glue stick to glue them on one side for a glowing pumpkin.
Pumpkin Wall - Make a giant pumpkin wall in your classroom or in the hall with other classes. On butcher paper, draw pumpkins, fold paper over to double the pattern and cut out. Color and decorate pumpkins and then staple the two patterns together and stuff with newspaper to make puffy pumpkins. Roll up brown construction paper and twist to make vines and tendrils for pumpkins. Cut out some green and brown leaves to attach to pumpkins and scatter along for a fall look. Attach them to a wall in a pumpkin patch formation with fall leaves scattered around. Add fall poetry, stories or songs to show off class work. You may want to make a couple of apple trees too and send invitations to other classes to come and tour your Fall Pumpkin Patch.
Printables:
http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/printables
http://members.tripod.com/archjrc/activity/halloween.html
http://www.ri.net/schools/Central_Falls/ch/heazak/pumpixs.html
http://www.thepumpkinfarm.com/cgi-bin/quiz/quiz2.cgi
http://www.abcteach.com/Extras/themesigns/pumpkins.htm
http://holidayorganizer.com/gifts/printable/pr_ppoop.htm
http://www.kidsturncentral.com/coloring/xpumpbunny.htm
Games:
Pass the Pumpkin
Pumpkin Songs and Poems
http://www.perpetualpreschool.com/preschool_themes/pumpkins/pumpkin_games.htm
Drenched Pumpkins (K-6)
Supplies:
Two carved pumpkins
Four water spray bottles
four to six votive candles
Matches
Plastic backdrop
Masking tape
Directions:
This game is ideal for outdoor play. Sine it involves lit candles and spray bottles, be sure to check with your school to see if these items may be used indoors or outside. A parent must always be at this station.
1. Purchase two pumpkins of the same size.
2. Carve out jack-o-lantern style, giving each a big mouth.
3. Place a votive candle inside each pumpkin.
4. Mark your starting line with masking tape.
5. Form two teams. Give each team a water-filled spray bottle.
6. Light the candles.
7. Depending on the power of the spray bottles, the children may need to be one to three feet away from the pumpkins. The kids take turns squirting water into the pumpkin's mouth trying to extinguish the flame.
8. If played inside, use a backdrop behind and under the pumpkins to catch the water.
Note: It is best to have one parent helper supervising the game while a second helper continuously reloads water into additional spray bottles. Also, it is best to have extra votive candles in case the wax on the originals gets too wet to re-light.
Silly Pumpkin Relay (K-6)
Supplies:
Orange construction paper
Marker
Masking tape
Directions:
1. Think of lots of different relay race activities the kids can do such as: Walk backwards, walk like like a caterpillar, leap, ski, hop, do a cartwheel, jump like a bunny and do a somersault.
2. Make pumpkin shapes out of construction paper (one per student). Dividing the number of pumpkins in half, write a different activity on each pumpkin in the first group. Repeat this procedure with the second group so that you have two sets of the same activity.
3. Form two teams and mark your starting line with masking tape.
4. The pumpkin shapes are placed in two piles on the floor across the room with one pile opposite each team.
5. The first child on each team runs to that team's pile of pumpkin shapes, picks one up and performs the activity while heading back towards the child's team.
6. The next team member goes.
7. The first team to finish wins.
Pumpkin Shootout (K-6)
Supplies:
Plywood or orange poster board
Paints
Crossbow/foam shooting arrows
Masking tape
Directions:
1. Before the party, draw five pumpkin shapes of different sizes on the plywood or orange poster board. Cut them out. If you use plywood, paint it orange. (This wood version can be saved for many years of use.)
2. Give each pumpkin-shaped opening a point value.
3. Using masking tape, designate a line behind which participants stand when shooting.
4. Give each player three tries to shoot eh objects into the cut out pumpkin holes.
5. Add the pint values. The highest total winds
Pumpkin Hop (K-6)
Supplies:
Orange construction paper (about 20 sheets)
Marker
Masking tape
Directions:
1. This game can be played with one team or more.
2. Place six to ten large pumpkin cut-outs (made from construction paper) per team in a crooked line on the floor. It is best to tape these down so there will be no shifting.
3. Designate starting and finish lines with masking tape.
4. Have each team line up at its starting line. The children will hop from the first pumpkin to the last pumpkin in the order they were placed on the floor. If a child misses the pumpkin they go back to the starting line and starts over.
5. When a child reaches the finish line, the next team member may go and repeat the process.
6. The first team to finish wins.
7. For younger children, place the pumpkins closer together and have the kids hop on two feet.
8. for older children, place the pumpkins farther apart and have the kids hop on one foot.
9. It helps if the pumpkins are marked with consecutive numbers or alphabet letters. This way the younger students can practice counting or reciting the alphabet. For older grades, spell the numbers in different languages or use math problems to direct them. An example of a math problem: "two times three plus four equal ten."
Pumpkin Toss (K-6)
Supplies:
Six carved pumpkins (all the same size) or
Six plastic pumpkins (all the same size)
Three ping pong balls
Masking tape
Directions:
1. Carve six pumpkins jack-o-lantern style with their lids removed. Or use plastic pumpkins. Place them directly behind one another in a line.
2. Determine a starting line marked with masking tape.
3. Mark the pumpkins one through six.
4. Give the player a ping pong ball to toss into the first pumpkin.
5. If the player succeeds provide a prize and have the player continue on to the pumpkin number two, and so forth. Give a prize each time the ball makes it into a pumpkin. If the player misses a pumpkin, the player's turn is over and the next person tries.
6. This came can also be played for points by putting a number on each pumpkin--for example, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25.
7. Prizes can be stickers, stamps on their hands, books, candy, trinkets, etc.
Variation: Scatter the pumpkins instead of placing them in a straight line. Let each child have three balls to toss. Add up the points at the end of each player's turn.
Suggested Reading:
The All Around Pumpkin Book by Margery Cuyler
It's Pumpkin Time! By Zoe Hall
Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh
Our Pumpkin by Rozanne Lanczak Williams
The Pumpkin Patch (Picture Puffins) by Elizabeth King
Pumpkin Pumpkin by Jeanne Titherington
Pumpkin Eye
The Prince Mammoth Pumpkin : A Parable
How-To-Grow World Class Giant Pumpkins
The Pumpkin Runner
Plumply, Dumply Pumpkin
Somethin' Pumpkin
The Pumpkin Book
The Parable Series: The Pumpkin Patch
The Great Pumpkin Switch
In a Pumpkin Shell : Over 20 Pumpkin Crafts
The Vanishing Pumpkin (Sandcastle Books)
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Interactive Lessons
