A Pumpkin Unit Kim Price Deep River Elementary School 7908 Deep River Road Sanford, NC 27330 e-mail address: kbprice@wave-net.net

Article Contents Purpose/Objectives Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Course of Study Other Activities

Lesson Plan: Math, Technology Grade 6 Time Required: 5 days Classroom Organization: Students are in cooperative groups of 3-4 people. Each group has access to a computer with internet access. Are the widest pumpkins the heaviest pumpkins? Can you predict the typical weight and circumference of a pumpkin? Can pumpkins weigh over 500 pounds? The months of October and November are often associated with the beautifully colored leaves which fall somberly to the ground and pumpkins. Pumpkins are as diverse a group of fruit as people are. There are different sizes, shapes, and colors. I always begin an integrated pumpkin unit on the first day of October. The students are asked to bring in a pumpkin one to two weeks before the unit begins.

Purpose:

• To provide participants with practice using a spreadsheet to analyze data collected during the pumpkin investigation.
• To provide participants with practice using the internet to search a topic.

Objectives:
Participants will:

• Estimate
• Measure circumference and weight
• Create a spreadsheet
• Use a formula to calculate the average

1. circumference
2. weight

• Analyze the data by creating graphs from the spreadsheet
• Accessing information using the Internet

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Day 1 Introduction

I always introduce the unit by playing a game of twenty questions. I place the scientific name of a pumpkin, curcubitaceae, on the board. Tell the students that a curcubitaceae is in the bag. There job is to figure out what it is. The students are instructed to ask Yes or No questions of the teacher. The students usually identify the pumpkin when they start asking about the color.

Next read Pumpkins by Mary Lynn Ray and ask questions, which require math application, while I'm reading. Some sample questions are: (I make sure students have calculators before we begin)

The field produces 461,212 pumpkins, of that number 361,000 were sold at $1.00 a piece, the rest were sold at $.75. What percent was sold at $.75?

If the man sold 1/4 of the 461,212 pumpkins for $2.00 and 1/2 at $1.00 and all the rest for $.65, what is his total profit.

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Day 2 Spreadsheet

We set up our spreadsheet. Before we get started I review a spreadsheet with my students. The Microsoft Works spreadsheet screen is shown below.

Students will create columns titled,

• Name: for the pumpkin's name,
• Est. Cir: for estimation of circumference,
• Est. Weight: for estimation of weight,
• Act. Cir: for actual circumference, and
• Act. weight: for actual weight in row 1. As shown below.

After the framework of the spreadsheet has been completed each team will be given a station to begin their investigation. At each station is a computer. Students save their information on a disk as they go from one station to another. After each group has finished at a station, THEY MUST CLOSE THE DOCUMENT AND RETRIEVE THEIR DISK.

Students will rotate twice, today. Set-up four pumpkins per station. Which means one should have five stations. I usually use the cafeteria and lots of parent volunteers. At least one per station, when we are measuring.

• As students move from station to station their estimation ability improves.

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Day 3 Complete Rotation Cycle / Graphs

Students will complete the rotation cycle.

Introduce students to the averaging formula. To form calculations, Microsoft Works contains built in functions that may be used as part of a formula. A function performs a set of calculations and then returns a single value. One could type d2+d3+d4+d5/4 = average, which will give one the average of the first four circumferences. However because, Microsoft Works has a built-in formula for averages we simply type, = AVERAGE (d2...d5).

The AVERAGE function requires the first and last cell names if the cells to be averaged.

After the average circumference and weight have been calculated the students may create graphs from the data collected.

To create a graph, highlight the desired data, then select Tools from the menu bar. Select new chart. Once the next frame opens students can select the type of chart they want.

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Day 4 Discuss Findings/Share Graphs

After all the data has been collected, and charts made, pose the questions:

• Are the widest pumpkins the heaviest pumpkins?
• Can you predict the typical weight and circumference of a pumpkin?

Instruct students to record their own hypothesis about the relationship of circumference and weight.

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The Great Pumpkin Search

Day 5 Internet

So often schools do not have enough research materials for all students to access information. However with the use of the internet students can search simultaneously without waiting for the next person to finish using a resource.

The following web sites are the best locations for your students to use for the, "Great Pumpkin Search."

The search will take about 30 minutes. Make sure students type what they see. A few parent volunteers would be helpful. (Train your volunteers,FIRST)

Web Sites:

Giant Pumpkins
http://infoweb.magi.com/~farmrgus/

World Class Giant Pumpkins
http://athena.athenet.net/~dang/pumpkins.html
http://athena.athenet.net/~dang/wpc/1061.html

Swan's Pumpkin Farm
http://www.thepumpkinfarm.com/funfacts.html

Students will use the internet to research Pumpkins. Each team will respond to the questions.

1. Pumpkins originated in which country?
2. How long does it take for a pumpkin to mature?
3. The largest pumpkin on record weighs _____ lbs. Where was the pumpkin grown?
4. Which area of America grows the biggest pumpkins? Why does that area grow more pumpkins than other areas?
5. Make a list of how you would grow a huge pumpkin for the 1998 Pumpkin Festival held at your school.

Pumpkin Unit Rubric

Spreadsheet (printed copy)	20 pts.
2 Graphs (printed copy)	20 pts.
3 Conclusions (printed copy)	20 pts.
Hypothesis (printed copy)	20 pts.
Pumpkin info search Worksheet	20pts.
Total	100 pts.

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STANDARD COURSE OF STUDY OBJECTIVES

Math

• 6.1 Create and evaluate graphic representations of data.
• 6.2 Use measures of central tendency (mean, medium, mode and range to describe meaningful data.
• 6.3 Display data using computer software and explore the use of spreadsheets.

Computer Skills

• 1.2 Identify computers as tools for accessing current information
• 3.2 Use telecomputing hardware and software to communicate with a distant computer or on-line service.

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OTHER POSSIBLE ACTIVITIES

• Write books about pumpkins for primary students
  Select a day for your students to share their books with kindergarten or first grade.
• Have a Pumpkin Feast
  Instruct the students to prepare recipes with pumpkin as a main ingredient. Make a pumpkin recipe book.
• Write a RAFT paper for Social Studies
  R: a spokesperson for the United States Pumpkin Growers Association
  A: farmers in _______ (pick one of the countries capable of growing pumpkins in Europe)
  F: a speech
  T: Why should that country grow pumpkins. Tell why they are a good candidate for pumpkin growth, and explain the benefits of pumpkins -- how are they uesful?

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