Halloween Fun Pumpkin Math Middle School Science and History lab

This lesson has been tested for many years by my middle school students.

Part 1

The history of pumpkins and the way Native Americans used the Three Sisters method to cultivate this crop.

Part 2

Detail instructions on how to grow your own pumpkin patch

Part 3

Lab students will learn how farmers in New England are able to determine the weight of their crops in the field.

Materials

Sticky notes

Scale

5 pumpkins

Measuring tape

5 buckets

Water

The Math Concepts

Circumference- The distance around your pumpkin. Measure at the

the widest spot using a string.

Radius- Distance from the center to a point on the outer edge. It is

half of the diameter.

Diameter- Any straight line that passes through the center of the

circle and goes to the edge of the circle. Diameters = radius x 2.

Weight

Height

Please contact me if you have any questions.

This is a hands-on lab for students to review several math concepts. Students will discover density and how to make accurate predictions.

At the end of the lesson are key terms translated into Spanish.