K2L2 Pumpkin Tales
Lesson Duration: 45 minutes
Grade: K2
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Learning Objectives
- Children will be able to identify the basic parts of a pumpkin.
- Children will be able to describe the pumpkin life cycle.
- Children will be able to plant pumpkin seeds.
Lesson Procedure
3 mins - Welcome Time
• Sing the "Hello Song"
• Introduce today's topic: "Today we're going on a pumpkin adventure!"
5 mins - Discovery Chat
• Show a large picture of a pumpkin plant with fruits at different stages
• Briefly explain the life cycle: "Pumpkins start as tiny seeds, grow into plants with flowers, and then become big, orange pumpkins!"
• Introduce new vocabulary: seed, sprout, vine, flower, fruit
• Ask children to repeat the new words
10 mins - Hands-On Challenge 1: Pumpkin Outer Parts Exploration
• Provide small groups with a pumpkin each
• Guide children in exploring the pumpkin using their senses (except taste):
- Sight: Observe color, shape, and stem
- Touch: Feel the skin texture and stem
- Smell: Sniff the pumpkin
- Hearing: Tap the pumpkin gently
• Measure the pumpkin:
- Use a string to measure circumference
- Compare sizes: "Is it bigger or smaller than your head?"
• Estimate and then weigh the pumpkin:
- Use a simple balance scale
- Compare: "Is it heavier or lighter than a book?"
• Introduce vocabulary: skin, stem, heavy, light, big, small
10 mins - Hands-On Challenge 2: Pumpkin Inner Parts Exploration
• Cut open the pumpkins (teacher does this)
• Guide children in exploring the inside:
- Sight: Observe flesh color, seeds, and strands
- Touch: Feel the flesh, seeds, and strands
- Smell: Sniff the inside
- Hearing: Listen when separating seeds from strands
• Count and compare seeds:
- Each group counts a small handful of seeds
- Compare: "Who has more? Who has fewer?"
• Explore strands:
- Pull apart strands
- Describe texture: "Is it slimy? Stringy?"
• Introduce vocabulary: flesh, seeds, strands, slimy, stringy
10 mins - Hands-On Challenge 3: Pumpkin Life Cycle and Planting
• Discuss the pumpkin life cycle using pictures or a diagram
• Reinforce stages: seed, sprout, vine, flower, small green pumpkin, large orange pumpkin
• Give each child a small pot, soil, and a few pumpkin seeds
• Guide them through planting:
1. Fill pot with soil
2. Make a small hole
3. Place seeds in the hole
4. Cover with soil
5. Water gently
• As they work, reinforce vocabulary: "We're planting pumpkin seeds. They'll sprout and grow into vines with flowers, and then pumpkins!"
• Help children label their pots
2 mins - Wrap-Up
• Recap: "Today we explored pumpkins inside and out, and learned how they grow. We even planted our own pumpkin seeds!"
• Sing the "Goodbye Song"
PowerPoint Presentation
Slide 1: Welcome Slide (1 min)
• Title: "Pumpkin Tales"
• Image: Cheerful cartoon pumpkin
• Text: "Let's go on a pumpkin adventure!"
Slide 2: Hello Song (2 mins)
• Image: Musical notes and smiling children
• Text: "Time for our Hello Song!"
Slide 3: Pumpkin Life Cycle (3 mins)
• Image: Large picture of pumpkin plant with fruits at different stages
• Text: "Pumpkins grow from tiny seeds to big, orange fruits!"
• Labels: Seed, Sprout, Vine, Flower, Fruit
• Text: "Let's say these words together!"
Slide 4: New Words (2 mins)
• Images: Seed, sprout, vine, flower, fruit
• Text: "Our new pumpkin words"
Slide 5: Pumpkin Exploration (2 mins)
• Image: Whole pumpkin
• Text: "Let's explore our pumpkins!"
• Instructions:
1. Form small groups
2. Each group gets one pumpkin
3. Look at the pumpkin carefully
4. Touch the skin and stem gently
5. Smell the pumpkin
6. Tap the pumpkin softly and listen
Slide 6: Pumpkin Senses (4 mins)
• Images: Eyes, hands, nose, ear
• Text: "What can you see? How does it feel? What does it smell like? What sound does it make when you tap it?"
Slide 7: Measuring Pumpkins (2 mins)
• Image: Child measuring pumpkin with string
• Text: "Let's measure our pumpkins!"
• Instructions:
1. Take a piece of string
2. Wrap it around the widest part of the pumpkin
3. Mark where the string meets
4. Lay the string flat to measure
5. Compare: Is it bigger or smaller than your head?
Slide 8: Weighing Pumpkins (2 mins)
• Image: Simple balance scale with pumpkin and book
• Text: "Is the pumpkin heavier or lighter than a book?"
• Instructions:
1. Place the pumpkin on one side of the scale
2. Place a book on the other side
3. Watch which side goes down
4. Decide if the pumpkin is heavier or lighter
Slide 9: Pumpkin Words (1 min)
• Text: "New words: skin, stem, heavy, light, big, small"
• Images: Corresponding pumpkin parts and concepts
Slide 10: Inside the Pumpkin (2 mins)
• Image: Cut open pumpkin
• Text: "Let's look inside!"
• List: Flesh, Seeds, Strands
Slide 11: Pumpkin Insides (4 mins)
• Images: Close-ups of pumpkin flesh, seeds, and strands
• Text: "What can you see? How does it feel? What does it smell like?"
• Instructions:
1. Look at the pumpkin flesh, seeds, and strands
2. Touch each part gently
3. Smell the inside of the pumpkin
4. Share what you observe with your group
Slide 12: Counting Seeds (2 mins)
• Image: Handful of pumpkin seeds
• Text: "Let's count our seeds!"
• Instructions:
1. Take a small handful of seeds
2. Count how many seeds you have
3. Compare with your group members
4. Decide who has more and who has fewer
Slide 13: Pumpkin Strands (2 mins)
• Image: Pumpkin strands being pulled apart
• Text: "Pull the strands apart"
• Questions: "Is it slimy? Is it stringy?"
Slide 14: Pumpkin Life Cycle (3 mins)
• Image: Diagram of pumpkin life cycle
• Text: "Seed → Sprout → Vine → Flower → Small Green Pumpkin → Large Orange Pumpkin"
Slide 15: Planting Pumpkin Seeds (5 mins)
• Images: Step-by-step planting process
• Text: "Let's plant our own pumpkin seeds!"
• Instructions:
1. Fill your pot with soil
2. Make a small hole in the soil
3. Place 2-3 seeds in the hole
4. Cover the seeds with soil
5. Water the soil gently
6. Label your pot with your name
Slide 16: What We Learned (1 min)
• Images: Pumpkin, seeds, plant
• Text: "We explored pumpkins and learned how they grow!"
Slide 17: Goodbye Song (1 min)
• Image: Musical notes and cartoon pumpkins
• Text: "Pumpkins grow from tiny seeds..."
• Text: "Let's sing our Goodbye Song!"