Lesson Plan Outline

Name: Noelle Carroll

CT/School:

Lesson Presented:

Date Initialed and Dated by teacher when it is reviewed:

A. Title/Type of Lesson: Parts of a Pumpkin

B. Context of Lesson: To meet SOL science standards K.2 and K.7 by incorporating both science
and English into the lesson. Through this lesson, students will be able to identify parts of a
pumpkin. Earlier in the week, we will read “Pumpkin, Pumpkin” by Jeanne Titherington
which discusses the life cycle of a pumpkin. As a pre-assessment, I will ask students
what they can recall from the life cycle of a pumpkin from the book we read. Next, I will
have a picture of a pumpkin on the board and will ask the students if they can identify
any parts. Children innately have a curiosity of how things work and grow and may
already have experience with helping with carving pumpkins/going to a pumpkin patch.
Therefore, there will likely be at least a few students with exposure prior to the lesson.

C. Learning Objectives:
Understand: Know: Do:

Students will understand that a
pumpkin has different parts.
Students will know the parts of a Students will be able to
pumpkin and their function: describe the lifecycle of a
stem, leaf, seeds, pulp, fibrous pumpkin.
strands, vine, skin.
Students will be able to make
their own pumpkin craft and
incorporate all the parts of a
pumpkin with the various art
media provided.

Students will be able to use

their five senses (touch,
taste, smell, sight, and
hearing) to explore a
pumpkin.

D. Assessing Learning:
 Understand-Students will be able to discuss parts of a pumpkin and to describe the
pumpkin life cycle with confidence.
 Know-Students will be able to identify the parts of a pumpkin when a visual is provided
(ie: stem, leaf, seeds, pulp, fibrous strands).
  Do- Students will be able to label the parts of the pumpkin to create their own pumpkin
craft. They will also be able to describe the way a pumpkin feels, smells, looks, tastes
and sounds like using their five senses.

E. Related Virginia Standards of Learning (and National Standards if required): This lesson
meets the following SOL Benchmarks:
 Science SOL K.2 which states, “The student will investigate and understand that humans
have senses that allow them to seek, find, take in, and react or respond to information
in order to learn about their surroundings. Key concepts include:
the five senses and corresponding sensing organs.”
 Science SOL K.7 which states, “The student will investigate and understand basic needs
and life processes of plants and animals. Key concepts include:
plants need nutrients, water, air, light, and a place to grow to survive.”

F. Materials Needed:

 Real pumpkin with the top pre-cut so that it can easily be lifted off as
the example.
 Pumpkin parts worksheet
 Scissors for each student
 Large dark orange pumpkin outline (one/student)
 Medium light orange pumpkin outline (one/student)
 Green yarn strips, pre-cut (one/student) to represent the vine
 Smaller orange yarn strips, pre-cut (one/student) to represent the
fibrous strands
 Brown stem, pre-cut (one/student)
 Green leaf, pre-cut (one/student)
 Glue stick
 Styrofoam bowls (for pumpkins innards)
G. Procedure:
a) Preparation of learning environment- Material for the pumpkin craft will be pre-cut and
paper clipped together to make a “packet” for each student. The top of the pumpkin will
also already be removed and pumpkin innards already divided amongst the styrofoam
bowls for the students to explore before they begin their craft.
b) Engage-First, I will hold up the pumpkin brought in for demonstration and ask the class
if they can tell me any parts of a pumpkin. This will be used as a preassessment for me
to gather background information as to any prior knowledge the students may have.
c) Implementation-Next, I will remove the top/stem of the pumpkin that was pre-cut to
reveal the fibrous strands, pulp, and seeds. I will give each student a handful of the
pumpkin innards and place it in their styrofoam bowl so they can explore it with their
five senses. We will then discuss the parts of a pumpkin and identify the words on the
worksheet the students will use on their pumpkin craft. The students will then be given
the pumpkin outline cutouts, green and orange yarn strips, and brown stem to make
their own pumpkin. I will create an example using the document camera while the
students work on their craft and label it.
 d) Closure- In closing, students will show the class their craft when I ask them for a few
volunteers to come up and identify the pumpkin parts on their craft to their classmates.

H. Differentiation-This project is differentiated by having a worksheet with the words of the parts of
a pumpkin spelled out to help those who are having trouble with writing letters. Students can
choose to either cut and paste the words on the worksheet to their pumpkin or write it
themselves.

I. What could go wrong with this lesson and what will you do about it?
This lesson may have students finish at varying paces, as some may work quickly to put their
pumpkin together and label it, and others may take longer. In the instance where students finish
quicker than their classmates, I will have them clean up their desk prior to moving on with the
next phase in the craft. Once they are finished, if we are still awaiting classmates, I will have a
few simple instructions on the board such as: count how many seeds your pumpkin innards have
or draw pictures about their pumpkin and its parts in their journal.