Do pumpkins grow high up in trees or low down in the soil? The children were good at thinking and they found the answers by themselves. It turns out that pumpkins grow on the ground and pumpkins have long vines. Autumn is just right for pumpkin picking. With the support of parents, Pre-K students brought different varieties of pumpkins. Let’s have a pumpkin exploration.
Let's cut a pumpkin and find out! Children sniffed the pumpkin with their curious little noses. Some told the teacher they smelled a plant, some said they smelled sweet, and some of them couldn't help licking the pumpkin. The children couldn't wait and picked out the pumpkin seeds with their little hands. With much effort, the little ones finally took out all the pumpkin seeds.
Children learned about the growth cycle of pumpkins and learned that the treated pumpkin seeds can be planted. The children were eager to plant the pumpkin seeds into the ground.
They held a shovel, dug the soil, chose their seeds, buried them in the soil, and finally watered them well. Our pumpkin planting was a great success!
After planting pumpkin seeds, there were leftover pumpkins that could be used for something! Let's take a look.
Chef steamed the seedless pumpkins, and the children took out the pumpkin flesh and removed the pumpkin skin with the help of their teachers. The pumpkins were kneaded into pumpkin sauce, and with the right amount of flour, children started to knead their own pumpkin pies. The children were so focused on kneading that they didn't care that there was flour and pumpkin sauce on their faces and hands.
Learning from playing, not only enhances students' perception of pumpkins, but also stimulates their creativity and further develops their hands-on ability and concentration.
What else can pumpkins be used for besides food?
We can use them for Jack-o-Lantern on Halloween and children can decorate the pumpkins with different faces.
The children further deepened their impressions of pumpkins through stories and a variety of art activities.
Education comes from life, and with that our Pre-K pumpkin exploration came to an end. But the weekly inquiry learning is still ongoing. Learn from playing stimulates a child's continual exploration and interest for things in life. Let's look forward to the next part of our exciting school life with Pre-K children!
