The Life Cycle of a Pumpkin

Title of Project: The Life Cycle of a Pumpkin

Schools and Teachers

Park Avenue, Saw Mill Rd , Newbridge Rd, Dinkelmeyer Teachers: Jen Fredrickson, Diane Vaccaro, Nicole Martellie, Samantha Sand

ENL Proficiency Level | ENL Program | Standards | Technology

Entering, Emerging | Stand-Alone | KR9, KW2, KW3 | Buncee

Assessments

Formative & Summative: Before the lesson, the students were asked what a life cycle was and how it related to pumpkins. This informal assessment measured the background knowledge the students had before beginning the lesson. During the lesson, a checklist was used to monitor student understanding of each process. At the end of the lesson, the students were asked the same essential question and were able to share what they had learned on a class anchor chart. Throughout the lesson, the students were asked to match the sequencing words with the correct pictures.

Description

The Park Avenue Garden is a place where the students can visit both during the school day with their classes and on the weekend with their families. The children are able to tend to the weeds or pick fresh vegetables. For this lesson, the students visited the garden during the school day to observe the growing pumpkins.

Content

I can identify the life cycle of a pumpkin

Language

I can describe the life cycle of a pumpkin.

Technology

I can use Buncee to sequence the life cycle of a pumpkin.

Student work

LINK TO North Bellmore Park Avenue, Saw Mill Road, Newbridge, and Dinkelmeyer Work Samples:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=10Q9o33FX0T2pbFmx0S_3oZv93kw_xf1fhak6GGgZBzY

Pumpkin garden 2.jpg
Life cycle independent work 2.jpg
Lifecycle independent work .jpg
Pumpkin garden 1 .PNG

Procedure

First, the students visited the garden and were exposed to the collection of materials that they could use to record their observations. The students used clipboards and crayons to illustrate their observations of the growing pumpkins. After recording their observations, the students returned back to class to read two different stories (see titles below) about the life cycle of a pumpkin. After reviewing key vocabulary listening to the story, the students created a class set of sentence strips using the words, “First, Next, Then, After, Last” along with pictures of the life cycle of a pumpkin. After creating the steps of the life cycle on sentence strips, they individually cut, colored and pasted the life cycle into a graphic organizer. The students shared their work verbally with one another to practice speaking skills. The next day, the students reviewed the life cycle process and listened to another story on Epic Books called, “Fall Pumpkins Orange and Plump”. After listening to the story, the students discussed the word “plump” and how it relates to the life cycle of a pumpkin. The students compared other vegetables that are “plump”. Shortly after, the students worked in centers to create a Buncee on the life cycle of a pumpkin using the new vocabulary they had learned. Each child was given the opportunity to share their Buncee with the group.

Resources and Other Materials

Reflection

After completing the lesson, the students loved visiting the garden and being able to watch the pumpkins grow. In addition to the garden, the students loved using the Buncee app to create their own life cycles.