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An Autumn scene on our messy table.

Year 1
Pumpkins

Use the senses to explore how a pumpkin feels, tastes, smells, sounds and looks. Create prints with pumpkin tops and cook pumpkin soup. By providing informed lesson plans and resources, we support parents and educators in guiding children through their learning journey. Hands-On Education understand all children are individual and learn in different ways. We firmly believe learning should be engaging and fun. We have enjoyed putting these hands-on activities together and finding a range of ideas for our children to access learning.

Within this topic you will find:

  • 8 activity plans, all of which clearly explain how to prepare and carry out each activity.
  • 2 activity sheets to support your child in recording their investigations.
  • 2 video, providing examples of the Life Cycle of a Pumpkin to inspire your child’s own creativity.

This topic meets aspects within the National Curriculum in England in the following subjects: Art, Design & Technology and Science.

Gain Full Access with an
Annual Key Stage 1 Membership
    Relation to Curriculum in England: = Art = Design & Technology = Science
    Download Links: = Activity Plan = Activity Sheet(s) = Play Video = Download Video
Click to Enlarge Activity Resources Relation to National Curriculum Downloads
Activity One - Plant A Pumpkin Seed

Activity 1
Plant A Pumpkin Seed

  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Soil
  • Plant pot
  • Water
  • Sc1/2.1b identify and describe the basic structure of a variety of common flowering plants, including trees
  • Dt1/2.1b understand where food comes from
Activity Two - My Senses And The Pumpkin

Activity 2
My Senses And The Pumpkin

  • Sc1/2.2d say which part of the body is associated with each sense
Activity Three - Life Cycle Of A Pumpkin

Activity 3
Life Cycle Of A Pumpkin

  • Sc1/2.1b identify and describe the basic structure of a variety of common flowering plants, including trees
  • Dt1/2.1b understand where food comes from
Activity Four - Draw A Pumpkin

Activity 4
Draw A Pumpkin

  • Pumpkin
  • Paper
  • Pencil
  • Paint
  • Paintbrushes
  • Ar1/1.2 to use drawing, painting and sculpture to develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination
  • Ar1/1.3 to develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space
Activity Five - Pumpkin Volcano

Activity 5
Pumpkin Volcano

  • Pumpkin (hollowed)
  • Water
  • Large plastic container
  • 6 tablespoons of bicarbonate soda
  • 1 tablespoons of washing up liquid
  • 250 millimetres vinegar
  • Sc1/1.3 performing simple tests
Activity Six - Sink Or Float

Activity 6
Sink Or Float

  • Whole pumpkin
  • Hallow pumpkin
  • Large plastic container
  • Water
  • Sc1/1.3 performing simple tests
  • Sc1/1.5 using their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions
Activity Seven - Pumpkin Printing

Activity 7
Pumpkin Printing

  • Pumpkin top
  • Paint
  • Paper
  • Ar1/1.3 to develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space
Activity Eight - Cooking With Pumpkins

Activity 8
Cooking With Pumpkins

  • Pumpkin recipe
  • Cooking pumpkin
  • Ingredients for the recipe
  • Appropriate cooking equipment
  • Dt1/1.2a select from and use a range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks
  • Dt1/2.1a use the basic principles of a healthy and varied diet to prepare dishes
  • Dt1/2.1b understand where food comes from

Symbols Key

    Relation to Curriculum in England: = Art = Design & Technology = Science
    Download Links: = Activity Plan = Activity Sheet(s) = Play Video = Download Video
Activity One - Plant A Pumpkin Seed

Activity 1
Plant A Pumpkin Seed

Practical Resources:
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Soil
  • Plant pot
  • Water
Relation to Curriculum in England:
  • Sc1/2.1b identify and describe the basic structure of a variety of common flowering plants, including trees
  • Dt1/2.1b understand where food comes from
Downloads:
Activity Two - My Senses And The Pumpkin

Activity 2
My Senses And The Pumpkin

Practical Resources:
Relation to Curriculum in England:
  • Sc1/2.2d say which part of the body is associated with each sense
Downloads:
Activity Three - Life Cycle Of A Pumpkin

Activity 3
Life Cycle Of A Pumpkin

Practical Resources:
Relation to Curriculum in England:
  • Sc1/2.1b identify and describe the basic structure of a variety of common flowering plants, including trees
  • Dt1/2.1b understand where food comes from
Downloads:
Activity Four - Draw A Pumpkin

Activity 4
Draw A Pumpkin

Practical Resources:
  • Pumpkin
  • Paper
  • Pencil
  • Paint
  • Paintbrushes
Relation to Curriculum in England:
  • Ar1/1.2 to use drawing, painting and sculpture to develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination
  • Ar1/1.3 to develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space
Downloads:
Activity Five - Pumpkin Volcano

Activity 5
Pumpkin Volcano

Practical Resources:
  • Pumpkin (hollowed)
  • Water
  • Large plastic container
  • 6 tablespoons of bicarbonate soda
  • 1 tablespoons of washing up liquid
  • 250 millimetres vinegar
Relation to Curriculum in England:
  • Sc1/1.3 performing simple tests
Downloads:
Activity Six - Sink Or Float

Activity 6
Sink Or Float

Practical Resources:
  • Whole pumpkin
  • Hallow pumpkin
  • Large plastic container
  • Water
Relation to Curriculum in England:
  • Sc1/1.3 performing simple tests
  • Sc1/1.5 using their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions
Downloads:
Activity Seven - Pumpkin Printing

Activity 7
Pumpkin Printing

Practical Resources:
  • Pumpkin top
  • Paint
  • Paper
Relation to Curriculum in England:
  • Ar1/1.3 to develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space
Downloads:
Activity Eight - Cooking With Pumpkins

Activity 8
Cooking With Pumpkins

Practical Resources:
  • Pumpkin recipe
  • Cooking pumpkin
  • Ingredients for the recipe
  • Appropriate cooking equipment
Relation to Curriculum in England:
  • Dt1/1.2a select from and use a range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks
  • Dt1/2.1a use the basic principles of a healthy and varied diet to prepare dishes
  • Dt1/2.1b understand where food comes from
Downloads:

Suggested Resources

Books
Books
Pumpkin Soup - 4 Books Set (Pumpkin Soup, Delicious!, A Pipkin Of Pepper, Tatty Ratty)
By Helen Cooper

In these picture stories friends Cat, Squirrel and Duck have to overcome different challenges to make the perfect pumpkin soup which they all enjoy so much.

Books
Books
Our World in Pictures: Trees, Leaves, Flowers & Seeds: A visual encyclopedia of the plant kingdom

An encyclopedia of nature. This book is good for identifying trees and plants after your nature walks.

Books
Books
Nadiya’s Bake Me a Story
By Nadiya Hussain

In this wonderful recipe book each recipe is accompanied by a relevant fairy tale. If you are looking for inspiration for pumpkin recipes, this book has an amazing pumpkin flapjack which we can recommend!

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