Big Pumpkin
LESSON 2
Children will read the story, “Big Pumpkin,” and participate in pumpkin themed crafts and activities.
The book, “Big Pumpkin,” by Erica Silverman.
Pumpkins
Ingredients for pumpkin recipe of choice. Here are some ideas.
Materials
Gather materials
Plan a visit to a local pumpkin patch.
Pumpkin carving tools or paint and brushes.
Preparations
Guide the reading of "Big Pumpkin" by Erica Silverman and encourage discussions to help children comprehend and connect with the story.
Introduce the story's problem, allowing children to make predictions about its resolution, promoting critical thinking.
Initiate a discussion about the importance of working together, posing relevant questions to encourage children to reflect on the story's themes.
Guide the exploration of pumpkins, helping children engage their senses and encouraging descriptive expression.
Facilitate pumpkin-related activities, such as carving and painting, ensuring safety and supporting children's creativity and sensory experiences.
Objectives for Teachers
Children will read the story "Big Pumpkin" and engage in discussions and activities that enhance their understanding of the narrative.
Children will use their problem-solving skills by making predictions about how the characters in the story will solve their problem and discuss the story's themes of collaboration and problem-solving.
Children will discuss the importance of working together through the story's characters and engage in activities that reinforce the value of cooperation.
Children will explore pumpkins using their five senses, describing how they look, feel, and smell, enhancing their sensory perception and descriptive skills.
Children will express their creativity through pumpkin-related crafts, including carving and painting, and engage in the sensory experience of handling pumpkins.
Objectives for Children
Collect and Connect
Enjoy saying and acting out this finger poem together.
Five Little Pumpkins
Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate.
The first one said, “My it’s getting late.”
The second one said, “There are witches in the air.”
The third one said, “But we don’t care.”
The fourth one said, “Let’s run, let’s run.”
The fifth one said, “It’s just halloween fun!”
Whoo-oo went the wind and out with the lights,
Five little pumpkins rolled out of sight.
Activity Flow
Begin by telling your child that you'll be reading or listening to the story "Big Pumpkin" by Erica Silverman.
Before reading the story, introduce the problem in the story and then allow your child to make predictions on how the problem will get solved. Predicting in a story fosters critical thinking and engagement by encouraging readers to actively anticipate and speculate about what will happen in the story, making the reading experience more interactive and thought-provoking. Additionally, it enhances comprehension by prompting readers to actively search for clues and details within the text that support their predictions, thus improving overall reading skills. For ideas, view the sample script below.
“This story is about a witch who plants a pumpkin seed that grows and grows and grows! Now, Halloween is just hours away, and the witch needs to pick the pumpkin for her pie. But she struggles because the pumpkin is too big for her to lift. How do you think the witch is going to harvest her big pumpkin so she can make pumpkin pie?”
Allow your child to share their ideas, and then read the story together. Checking back on their predictions to see if any of them were correct.
After reading the story, initiate a discussion with your child about the importance of working together. Ask questions like:
Why did the witch agree to accept the ghost's help?
How did they manage to lift the pumpkin from the vine?
Why is teamwork important?
Who came up with the idea to work together?
Why are ideas important?
Do you need to be big and strong to come up with great ideas?
3. Following this discussion, feel free to participate in one or all of the activities outlined below. These activities are designed to reinforce the lesson about teamwork and foster creative engagement.
Make a Pumpkin Treat:
Just like the witch in the story, select a yummy pumpkin recipe to create in the kitchen together. Here are some tasty ideas!
Visit a Pumpkin Patch:
Make it an educational and fun experience by visiting a local pumpkin patch. Explore the various types of pumpkins and gourds available. Encourage your child to select a pumpkin to bring home for the next activity.
Carve or Paint Pumpkins:
After your visit to the pumpkin patch or selecting a pumpkin from a store or your own garden, let your creativity shine as you carve or paint these pumpkins.
If carving a pumpkin, take the opportunity to explore it fully. Encourage your child to use their five senses to engage with the pumpkin. Some exploration questions to ask include:
What does the outside of the pumpkin feel like?
What does the inside of the pumpkin feel like?
What does it look like?
What does it smell like?
3. For those interested in exploring the taste of pumpkin, consider saving and roasting the pumpkin seeds. Alternatively, you can use the pumpkin to create a treat or bake the pumpkin and prepare a soup to enjoy.
4. Work together to create a design to carve into the pumpkin. Ensure safety by having an adult carve the pumpkin. Once you've completed the carving, place a candle inside and witness the magical glow in the dark.
