It's harvest season, and a great time to connect students to pumpkins, plants and growth cycles.
In this virtual farm tour, Ag for Life visits the Jungle Farm in central Alberta to learn how pumpkins are grown and harvested.
Standards:
Grade 1-5 - Living Systems
Understanding of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened through investigating natural systems and their interactions.
Guiding Question: How do plants and animals live and grow?
Background Information:
The word “pumpkin” comes from the Greek word “pepon,” which means “large melon.”
The average pumpkin weighs in at approximately 13lbs. The heaviest pumpkin in history (so far) weighed a whopping 2,749lbs.
Pumpkins are 90% water. And yes, they float.
A pumpkin is technically a fruit because it comes from a flower and has seeds.
The average pumpkin has approximately 500 seeds.
Most pumpkins are orange because they contain a pigment called “carotene.” Carrots are another carotenoid-rich food.
Pumpkins come in many different colours, including orange, yellow, green, white and blue.
Support Materials for Use with Students:
Student Worksheet:
Vocabulary Cards:
Extended Learning Resources:
The Story of Food - Pumpkins:
Oozing Pumpkin Experiment
Hides and Feathers Pumpkin Art
Classroom Resources:
Parts of a Plant Poster
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