Science

3 hours 
 * 1) Pumpkins or Garden
 * 2) You won’t offend me if this does not fit into your vision. I planted some pumpkins so that my kids could watch them grow (my oldest said it is creepy how much I enjoy this). This is a key time (we need to tape soon) to get some video of the plant at different stages. I have blooms, green pumpkins, yellow pumpkins, and one large, rogue orange pumpkin. We could study the leaves and cut them open to see the seeds. I know this is a common unit, but I have found low-income and ELL students do not have these experiences at home (my children would tell you that these other kids also do not have to pull weeds or hoe!).
 * 3) Objectives: Students with gain an awareness of how plants and seeds grow. Plant life cycle. Students will learn about sequences in nature. Students will review size terms (big, medium, and small)
 * 4) There are many literature links. I have a several teacher extensions (painting pumpkins with little fists and thumbs is my favorite).
 * 5) Education World - Pump Up the Curriculum with Pumpkins - Focuses on learning, not cutsie activities ( [|__http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson028.shtml__] ); Starfall.com ( [|__http://www.starfall.com/n/fiction-nonfiction/pumpkin/load.htm__] ) Lots more out there that I can gather if we want to pursue this.