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K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

How do pumpkins grow?: Book project

This is an integrated science and language arts lesson plan. Students will create individual books that illustrate how pumpkins grow.

A lesson plan for grade 1 Visual Arts Education, English Language Arts, and Science

By Marty Britt

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

  • Read and sequence sentences which describe the growth of a pumpkin.
  • Illustrate each sentence using a variety of art materials to construct an individual book.
  • Label their illustrations and practice reading their books.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

2 hours

Materials/resources

  • books on pumpkins and seeds:
  • orange construction paper cut into shapes of pumpkins
  • light blue construction paper cut and pasted to form a 6×36 inch strip (fold to form a accordion book with six pages)
  • 2 pumpkin seeds per student
  • small squares of green and orange construction or fadeless art paper
  • small squares of yellow tissue paper to form plant flowers
  • brown tempera paint
  • green construction paper leaf and a foot of green curling ribbon for each student
  • markers
  • page of printed text for each student that can be divided into 6 sentence strips (see below)

Pre-activities

  • Read stories about pumpkins.
  • Discuss the life cycle of a pumpkin.
  • Discuss vocabulary (seeds, soil, sprouts, leaves, and flowers).
  • Dramatize the growth of a seed. Students start in a curled up position and gradually uncurl and stretch to “grow” as “sun and rain” are added.

Activities

  1. Early in the day, have each student paint “soil” across the bottom section of the 6×36 inch strip of light blue construction paper. Allow drying time.
  2. Hand out the sheet with text for book and practice reading the copy.
  3. Read first strip of text. Cut the first strip and paste it on the first page of book. Paste seed in “soil”. Discuss the spelling of the word “seed”. Label the seed.
  4. Guide students through the next five pages:
    • Page 2: paste seed in soil, draw and label sprout.
    • Page 3: draw and label green leaves.
    • Page 4: draw green leaves, make yellow flowers by scrunching small squares of yellow tissue, label yellow flowers.
    • Page 5: draw green leaves, draw small green pumpkins, cut out, paste and label.
    • Page 6: draw big orange pumpkins, paste and label. Add green leaves.
  5. Cut out two orange construction paper pumpkins for each student. Paste on a green construction paper leaf and ribbon curl.
  6. Write the title of book “How Do Pumpkins Grow?” on each book along with each student’s name.
  7. Practice reading books.

Assessment

Listen to each student read his/her book.

Ask each student to explain how pumpkins grow. Check order of stages of growth.

Supplemental information

Text for How Do Pumpkins Grow? book:

  • Plant the pumpkin seed in the soil.
  • The rain and the sun make the seed sprout.
  • Soon the sprout grows into a plant with green leaves.
  • Then yellow flowers grow on the plant.
  • Next small, green pumpkins begin to grow.
  • Finally, there are big, orange pumpkins.

North Carolina curriculum alignment

English Language Arts (2004)

Grade 1

  • Goal 2: The learner will develop and apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.
    • Objective 2.01: Read aloud independently with fluency and comprehension any text that is appropriately designed for emergent readers.

Science (2005)

Grade 1

  • Goal 1: The learner will conduct investigations and make observations to build an understanding of the needs of living organisms.
    • Objective 1.01: Investigate the needs of a variety of different plants:
      • Air.
      • Water.
      • Light.
      • Space.

Visual Arts Education (2001)

Grade 1

  • Goal 1: The learner will develop critical and creative thinking skills and perceptual awareness necessary for understanding and producing art.

  • Common Core State Standards

    • English Language Arts (2010)

      • Reading: Foundational Skills

        • Grade 1
          • 1.RFS.4 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. 1.RFS.4.1 Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding. 1.RFS.4.2 Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression. 1.RFS.4.3 Use context to confirm...

  • North Carolina Essential Standards

    • Science (2010)

      • Grade 1

        • 1.L.1 Understand characteristics of various environments and behaviors of humans that enable plants and animals to survive. 1.L.1.1 Recognize that plants and animals need air, water, light (plants only), space, food and shelter and that these may be found...
        • 1.L.2 Summarize the needs of living organisms for energy and growth. 1.L.2.1 Summarize the basic needs of a variety of different plants (including air, water, nutrients, and light) for energy and growth. 1.L.2.2 Summarize the basic needs of a variety of different...

      • Visual Arts Education (2010)

        • 1.CX.2 Understand the interdisciplinary connections and life applications of the visual arts. 1.CX.2.1 Identify the role of functional art in various communities around the world. 1.CX.2.2 Identify connections between art and concepts from other disciplines,...
        • 1.V.2 Apply creative and critical thinking skills to artistic expression. 1.V.2.1 Recognize that artistic problems have multiple solutions. 1.V.2.2 Understand how physical location affects what is seen in the immediate environment. 1.V.2.3 Create art from...