My class this year is a K-5 IND classroom. Some students have other exceptionalities as well. You never know how a lesson will go until it’s in progress.
My students made a Jack-O-Lantern during Science yesterday. First they had to sequence the steps to creating a Jack-O-Lantern. They participated in touching the pumpkin and the stem. They watched me cut out the stem. All 7/10 (3 were absent) put their hands inside the pumpkin and pulled out the strings and seeds. No one got upset over the smell or feel which was so surprising to me. A vote was taken and “round” eyes were chosen. They wanted to eat the pumpkin seeds(beans), but they were dirty so I didn’t let them.
On Monday I will follow up and let the students who were absent, participate in the touch and smell they missed. We will try a bag of seeds and they will get to try pumpkin pie.
Next up, we are using the Jack-O-Lantern as a vessel to create a volcano.