Grab your pumpkin chocolate chip bread and enjoy this Pumpkin Nature Study and Fun Facts! Pumpkins are gourds, a crop plant with a fleshy large fruit, hard skin, and tendril growing vines.
Pumpkin Homeschool Study Fun Facts
Did you know …
- The word “pumpkin” is from the Greek word “Pepon”, which means “large melon”.
- The largest pumpkin ever grown weighed 1,140 pounds.
- Each pumpkin contains around 500 seeds.
- Native Americans used pumpkin seeds for food and medicine, and flattened strips of pumpkin to make mats.
- Pumpkins are very healthy to incorporate into your diet. They are high in fiber, vitamin A, vitamin B, potassium, protein, and iron. Pumpkins contain no cholesterol or saturated fat.
- Most pumpkin crops are processed into canned pumpkin or canned pie mix.
- Atlantic Giants are the largest overall species of pumpkin. They can grow as much as 50 pounds per day!
- The first Jack-of-the-Lantern was not made from a pumpkin but an Irish Turnip.
Pumpkin Patch Tips
Pumpkins are in season from mid September through November. Typically planted in June, pumpkins are harvested before the first frost. Looking for the perfect pumpkin? Here are a few tips that have helped us get a great gourd.
A good pumpkin should be firm and solid, without any soft spots or sunken areas. A dry, shriveled stem indicates that the pumpkin has been stored for a long time. A dull or discolored area on the top of the pumpkin indicates frost damage. A pumpkin that feels heavy for its size probably has a thick skin.
Parts of a Pumpkin Activity Sheet
Younger students will enjoy the Parts of a Pumpkin Activity Sheet. Homeschool Nature Study Members can find this free worksheet in their Member Dashboard.
Join Homeschool Nature Study! We offer a multitude of science activities, hands-on learning ideas, seasonal nature studies, crafts, free resources for all ages – join the #outdoorhourchallenge community and enhance your homeschool science lessons!
Stef started homeschooling her boys in 2008. She quickly adopted a hands-on learning homeschool style and graduated her oldest tactile learner in 2021. Then she started the Hands-On Learning column in Homeschooling Today magazine. The Laytons currently reside in the foothills of Colorado where Stef also teaches yoga. The family loves to hike trails, stand-up paddle board, and chase sunsets. Stef shares travel and homeschool tips on IG at @LaytonAdventures.
· If your seeds grow to maturity, show your children the crops that come from the plants. If possible, show them the seeds so they can begin to understand the cycle of seed-plant-fruit-seed. Eat the fruits of your labor if possible or buy some at the store and enjoy! Have your children draw the seed, plant, and mature fruits. Then, have them record how they tasted.
