[teach] Pumpkin Seed Tasting Data Sheet

Last week, my class learned all about pumpkins. Pumpkin parts, how they grow, how they start as a seed: the whole nine yards. We (I) even carved a pumpkin and (they) pulled out its seeds!

Thursday night, I roasted the seeds in butter and seasoned salt so the kiddos could taste them the next day. Many were skeptical, but as soon as I told them it tasted like popcorn, they were all on board!

To extend our learning, I created a Pumpkin Seed Tasting Data sheet for the kiddos to fill out after our taste test. We fill out a weather graph each day charting the weather, so they are familiar with gathering data (information) and filling out a graph like this from bottom to top.

If you would like a copy of this page, just right click and "copy". Open a Word document and "paste" it in! Please let me know if you use it, I'd love to hear about it! Or for a higher quality version, please leave a comment with your e-mail address and I will send it to you.

We discussed that "yummy" meant you liked the seeds, while "yucky" signified you did not like the seeds. We went around the room and collected data from each student: they either said "yummy" or "yucky". Next, we filled in the corresponding sections on our graph for each child and counted our results! 19 kiddos (well, 18 plus me) thought the seeds were yummy, while one student voted "yucky" (he didn't even try it, he was just not about the seeds)!

Afterwards, the kiddos were able to personalize their data with an illustration of their face (reaction) to the tasting of the seeds (they were to draw a smiling/yummy face or frowning/yucky face).

The kids thought tasting the seeds were so fun and using this sheet to gather information furthered our learning even more. Yay for extensions!

Teachers: do you "experiment" with a class pumpkin during the fall season? Non-teachers: who roasts seeds at home? I never did it until I started teaching, but they really are delicious! Happy Tuesday!

"He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20