Borkowski, Jessica, 10/23/13

Grade: Four Year Old Kindergarten

Domain Cognitive, Aesthetic (sensory experience)
Activity Name Pumpkins, nside and Out
Goal
Wisconsin odel !arly "earnin# $tandards
!cienti"ic #hinking$ C%&'%()*se o+servations to gather in"ormation%
%&'ectives$ !tudents ,ill make accurate o+servations a+out the inside and outside o" the pumpkin% !tudents
,ill accurately "ill in the pictures o" the outside and inside o" a pumpkin, according to their o+servations,
,ith the materials provided%
$t(dent Assessment
n"ormal$ Assess the students through -uestions a+out ,hat they are o+serving as ,e touch and look at the
outside and inside o" the pumpkin%
Formal$ Assess ,hether students are a+le to use the materials provided and their o+servations to create
accurate pictures o" the outside and inside o" the pumpkins%
)ontent$
O+servations are descriptions o" ,hat ,e sa,, "elt, tasted, heard, or smelled%
#he Five !enses are the senses o" sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste that are used to make good
o+servation%
Parts o" the pumpkin$ stem, seeds, pulp (insides), skin (smooth, orange outer layer, ri+s (lines
running do,n the outside o" the pumpkin), and the cavity (the inside a"ter the pulp and sees have
+een removed)
aterials$ small pumpkin, large pumpkin (,ith the top already carved o""), orange string (a+out ( "oot in
length, enough "or each student), clean pumpkin seeds, ne,spaper, sheet ,ith t,o +lank pumpkin pictures,
crayons, o+.ects o" the opening (+anana, lea")
*nstr(ctional $trate#ies$ !ensory engagement, invitation, paraphrase re"lections, -uestions
+roced(res (ntroduction, steps in delivery, closure)
1, *ntrod(ction ((/ minutes)
a% 0ave students sit around the carpet in a circle% &xplain to the students that have a "e,
o+.ects and ,ant them to tell me ,hat they think they are, +ut they are not going to +e a+le
to see ,hat the o+.ect is% #hey are going to have a chance to use their sense o" touch, smell,
and hearing to "igure out ,hat the o+.ect is +ut their eyes ,ill +e closed the ,hole time%
+% 0ave students close their eyes% #ake out the "irst o+.ect and move around the circle allo,ing
each student to touch, smell, and possi+ly hear the o+.ect% Ask students to open their eyes
and raise their hands to see i" they ,ant to take a guess at ,hat the o+.ect is and explain
,hy% !ho, the students the o+.ect and talk a+out a "e, o" its characteristics% First use the
+anana, then repeat ,ith the apple
c% 1epeat the activity one more time ,ith the small pumpkin% A"ter they share their guesses
a+out ,hat they think it is, reveal that it is a pumpkin and they are going to explore all the
parts o" the pumpkin today%
2, Develo-in# t.e "esson ((2)3/ minutes)
a% Place the large pumpkin in the middle o" the circle and ask the students to descri+e or
explain ,hat the outside o" the pumpkin looks like% Allo, students to touch the pumpkin
and ask some students to descri+e ,hat it "elt like%
+% Follo,ing their descriptions, explain that ,hat they are doing is making o+servations%
4O+servation is a +ig science ,ord "or descriptions% #o make good o+servations ,e use our
"ive senses, ,hich are sight, hearing, "eeling, taste, and smell%5 Ask the students to name
one ,ay they can make an o+servation a+out the outside o" the pumpkin%
c% 6o over some o" the things the students said a+out the pumpkin% 7rie"ly touch on the parts
o" the outsides o" the pumpkin (skin, stem, and ri+s)%
d% Place the ne,spaper on the "loor and open the pumpkin% !ho, all the students a -uick vie,
o" the inside and have a small group o" students help remove the insides% #he remaining
students that did not get a chance to remove the insides ,ill get a chance to touch and smell
the insides that spread out on the ne,spaper% As they are doing this, explain the insides o"
the pumpkin (pulp, sees, and cavity)% Ask the students to descri+e or make o+servations
a+out the inside o" the pumpkin% Ask them ,hat senses they used to make these
o+servations%
e% #ransition students to clean their hands and to go to their seats% 0ave the t,o +lank
pumpkin pictures ready "or each student% Ask students to color one in according to ,hat the
outside looked like% 8ext, have students use the orange string and the pumpkin seeds at their
ta+les to make the insides o" the pumpkin on the other side%
3, )oncl(sion
a% 0ave a "e, students sho, their "inal pro.ects to the class and ask the "ollo,ing -uestions$
49hat did the outside "eel like: 9hat part o" the pumpkin is the string "or:5
/(estions$
9hat o+.ect do you think that ,as and ,hy:
9hat does the outside "eel or look like:
9hat does the inside "eel, look, or smell like:
9hat sense did you use to make that o+servation:
9hat part o" the pumpkin is the string "or:
Ada-tations$
For students that are struggling ,ith making o+servations ask more speci"ic -uestions such as$
49hat color is the pumpkin: s the pumpkin smooth, +umpy, or rough:5 " they continue to struggle
,ith the senses, ask students ,hat part o" their +ody did they use to make that o+servation:
For students that are done early, have them read pumpkin +ooks on the carpet%