My Pumpkin Story

I am a "linking" fool...

Since I have LEARNED how to link (thank you Joni!)

I am having so much fun helping others.

I don't do these things to win prizes,

although the prizes are cute, fun and awesome.

I do it because I think that when people go to so much

trouble trying to accomplish something,

then why shouldn't I help?

So here is to Lisa at Stop n Smell the Chocolates.

Today we are suppose to talk about a pumpkin project of some sort. I am not a crafty person, nor do I cook much. But I do have a love for teachers and children. I was a DARE officer for many years and had special bonds with teachers all over the Enid School district. But one of my first teachers to work with also became one of my dear friends. I respect teachers so much. What they try to do and achieve with these gifts that have been entrusted to them, ie our children. One teacher in particular was Linda H. She taught geography to 7th graders. I was never good at geography and never really enjoyed it. But I watched Linda teach her students, and encourage, inspire, hold them accountable. I really liked what she did with her kids. Each hour the bell would ring and those students would leave the room uplifted, and enjoying school if for only a little while!!! (Till Math or something!) But one of the things she did EVERY year was she had the student bring a pumpkin to class. They would then paint it and put on the continents and they would also have longitude and latitude lines. They worked on these things for days. Learning so much about the world as they created their very own globe. Some were very elaborate. Others were kind of blobs of paint slapped on. But each kid had fun. They labeled things such as the oceans and continents. So if you need a pumpkin project for your kids.... there you have it! You have the whole world at your finger tips.

I need a larger picture, but this is the best I could find. Sorry!

PUMPKIN GLOBE


Time: 2 days (1-2 hours per day)


Geographic Theme-Regions and Location


Purpose: To create a model of the Earth


Objectives: To identify longitude and latitude on maps and globes to create a globe using a pumpkin


Materials:


world maps and globes
pumpkins (one per group)
tag board patterns of the continents
tempera paint


Procedures:


Day 1
Discuss longitude and latitude. Point out examples on the world map and the globe.
Question the students (can be made into a game) about using world maps to locate longitude and latitude. Example: Where is 95 degrees North longitude and 30 degrees West latitude? Houston, Texas.
Divide the globe into hemispheres (north, south/east, west) and discuss the placement of the continents.


Day 2
Review longitude, latitude, hemispheres, and continents.
Divide the students into groups.
Hand out one pumpkin per group, pattern, and paint.
Divide the pumpkin into hemispheres using the vertical lines on the pumpkin as the longitude lines.
Place patterns in the appropriate hemispheres. Trace continents.
Paint continents. Let dry for 1 hour.
Paint the bodies of water. Let dry overnight.
Extensions
Display in school media center.
Compare and contrast pumpkins to globes.