Pumpkin Pumpkin by Jeanne Titherington is a fantastic book for kindergarteners. It is perfect for teaching sequencing and retelling. And I have yet to meet a child who doesn’t like to learn about pumpkins. If you don’t already have this book, most libraries carry it, or you can purchase Pumpkin Pumpkin on Amazon.
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Pumpkin Pumpkin Reading
This is a very short book, with not many words… but it’s perfect for sequencing events. As you read, stop every now and then and ask What has happened so far in this story? As your students answer, try to guide them to sequence the events in order. For example, What did the seed grow into? What did the pumpkin sprout grow? After reading the whole book, have your students turn to a partner and retell the story from seed to pumpkin.
Writing about Pumpkin Pumpkin
Reread Pumpkin Pumpkin. After reading the book, turn back to page 23 (where Jamie carves a pumpkin face). Read aloud the following: When Jamie picked his pumpkin, he carved a pumpkin face. Then ask: If you just picked a pumpkin, what would you do with your pumpkin? Would you carve a face, would you make pumpkin pie? Turn to your partner and say, If I picked a pumpkin, I would… Next, have students draw a picture and write about what they would do with their pumpkin. Use one of our free writing templates.
Pumpkin Math
You will find a great Math activity that goes perfect with this story in our Halloween Activities for Kindergarten resource. Bring a real pumpkin to show your class, and measure the pumpkin. Your kids can use the Pumpkin Measuring page to record the measurements.
Sink or Float Pumpkin Science Project
The sink or float pumpkin science experiment is a perfect complement to this story. You can use the pumpkin you brought to class for the math activity and a large bucket filled with water. Then use this free scientific method page, and go over each step with your students. Review the question for this fun science experiment: Will the pumpkin sink or float? Have your students hypothesize, and then do the experiment. After the experiment, discuss the conclusion. Our Halloween Activities for Kindergarten resource also has a pumpkin science worksheet. Your students can use this page to record their observations during this pumpkin experiment.
Pumpkin Art
This charming pumpkin craft is ideal for kindergarten students. It’s simple to create and results in an adorable, finished product. The teacher prepares the materials in advance by cutting different squares and rectangles from construction paper for the children to use.
Directions:
Cut large orange squares and rectangles for the pumpkins. Cut small green rectangles for the stems. For the facial features, cut smaller black squares and rectangles in different sizes to be used for the eyes, nose, and mouth. Model, model, model.
- Show your students how to snip off the corners of the orange square to make it look like a round pumpkin.
- For the eyes and nose, explain that they can choose any shape. If they want round eyes, they can snip off the corners. If they prefer a triangle for the nose, model how to cut a triangle from a small black square.
- Use a black rectangle for the mouth, and trim off just the bottom corners. Some students might enjoy cutting out small squares or triangles to add teeth.
- Have the students glue the face onto the pumpkin. Then, guide them to glue the green stem to the top of the pumpkin.
- Don’t forget to remind them to write their name on the back of their finished pumpkin!
Pumpkin Snack
I love this cute and healthy pumpkin snack. All you need are some cuties (tangerines) and celery. Cut the celery short and slice thin. Have your students peel the cuties and place the celery in the middle, at the top of the cutie to create a stem for the pumpkin. For a no-prep snack, give them an unpeeled cutie, and have them draw a pumpkin face with a sharpie.
Pumpkin, Pumpkin Interactive Read Aloud Resource
We have created a Pumpkin Pumpkin interactive read aloud resource. This resource comes complete with:
- 3 days of detailed lesson plans with book introductions, text dependent questions, vocabulary, and common core standards
- 14 differentiated writing pages
- Story elements anchor charts
- Cute and fun craft to decorate your classroom or send home to showcase student work
This resource aligns with the science of reading. It is research based, easy to implement and aligned with the common core standards.
More from 4KT
Looking for more great ideas and resources? We’ve got you covered. Check out The Best Halloween Activities for more pumpkin and fun Halloween lessons. Read Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Activities for another great read aloud for kindergarten.
