Students use their reading and investigative skills to solve problems.

Students will read a problem using analytical skills and look for clues to solving problems.

• Students will use the information provided in the story to solve problems.

Ohio Academic Content Standards

Mathematics
Number, Number Sense and Operations

Benchmark E:
Use order of operations, including use of parentheses and exponents to solve multi-step problems, and verify and interpret results.

Benchmark I:
Use a variety of strategies, including proportional reasoning, to estimate, compute, solve and explain solutions to problems involving integers, fractions, decimals and percents.

Indicators:
Grade 5
3. Identify and generate equivalent forms of fractions, decimals and percents.

8. Identify and use relationships between operations to solve problems.

9. Use order of operations including use of parentheses to simplify numerical expressions.

Grade 6
7. Use simple expressions involving integers to represent and solve problems, e.g., if a running back loses 15 yards on the first carry but gains 8 yards on the second carry, what is the net gain/loss?

Mathematics
Measurement

Benchmark B:
Convert units of length, area, volume, mass and time within the same measurement system.

Benchmark E:
Use problem-solving techniques and technology as needed to solve problems involving length, weight, perimeter, area, volume, time and temperature.

Indicator:
Grade 5
5. Make conversions within the same measurement system while performing computations.

Science
Physical Sciences

Benchmark A:
Compare the characteristics of simple physical and chemical changes.

Indicator:
1. Identify characteristics of a simple physical change (e.g., heating or cooling can change water from one state to another and the change is reversible).

Science
Scientific Inquiry

Benchmark B:
Organize and evaluate observations, measurements and other data to formulate inferences and conclusions.

Indicators:
Grade 3
5. Record and organize observations (e.g., journals, charts and tables).

Grade 5
2. Evaluate observations and measurements made by other people and identify reasons for any discrepancies.

Science
Scientific Ways of Knowing

Benchmark A:
Distinguish between fact and opinion and explain how ideas and conclusions change as new knowledge is gained.

Indicator:
Grade 5
1. Summarize how conclusions and ideas change as new knowledge is gained.

Materials

• A copy of the story and questions for each partnership or group

• Calculators

• Paper

• Pencils

• A table of appropriate units for conversion

Procedure

1. Ask students to share what they know about pumpkins. To motivate students, sharing some of the record weights and/or the history of pumpkins in this country would set the tone for the activity.

2. Students work in small groups, following along as the teacher reads the pumpkin story included in this lesson.

3. Once the story has been read, distribute the question sheet. Allow students time to answer several questions. Since it will take time to answer several of the questions, decide which questions all students should solve and/or select three or four questions to give to only two or three groups.

4. Share answers and discuss processes for finding solutions.

Questions

1. How many ounces are there in 166 pounds?
   
   Answer: 166 x 16 = 2656
   

2. About how many chunks of the same size of the original piece could be cut from this pumpkin? Is there a way to find the answer to this question with the information that is presented?
   
   Answer: 166 / 20 = 8.3
   

3. How many dozen seeds were inside this pumpkin?
   
   Answer: 523 / 12 = 43.583
   

4. If each seed was the size of a quarter, how many school desks could be covered with the seeds?
   
   Answer: This depends upon the size of the desk. Measure the desk, measure a quarter then divide the desk size by the quarter size for length and width.
   

5. If nine bags are used to hold the pumpkin shells, how many gallons of shells are there?
   
   Answer: 9 x 13 = 117
   

6. How many gallons of filling had been used before the donation to the senior center?
   
   Answer: 24 – 21 = 3 quarts (or __ gal.). 21 quarts used.
   

7. How many pies could be made from total amount of filling?
   
   Answer: 4 cup (1 quart) x 21 quarts = 84 cups
   
   84 cups / 2 cups (2 cups needed for each pie) = 42 pies
   

8. If four pies could be baked at one time and it takes 45 minutes to bake each batch of pies, how long would it take to bake 16 pies? How long would it take to bake all the pies that could be made from this much filling?
   
   Answer: For 16 pies
   16 / 4 = 4 pies x 45 mins = 180 mins / 60 mins = 3 hours
   
   For all the pies (48)
   48 pies / 4 = 12 x 45 = 540 mins / 60 mins = 9 hours

Evaluation

Use a percentage of the number of correct answers.

Extensions

1. Students get real pumpkins from a farm or the store — enough for four to six small groups. They measure and weigh them, then scoop out the insides and count the seeds.

2. The students create line plots and data analysis terms to consider the findings of the classroom sample.

3. Have the students discuss what else they would like to know about pumpkins. They can go to the Internet and gather additional data.

4. Students can create a newsletter with articles such as “Strange and Bizarre Facts,” “Record-making Pumpkins,” and “Pumpkin Colors.” Share copies with the school.

5. Students can use the story of Cinderella to do an inquiry. Based upon the typical size of a carriage at the time of the story, what size of a pumpkin would be needed to match the size of the carriage?

6. Using the data from the pumpkin story, have the students figure out how many seeds would be inside and how many pies could be made. Or have students obtain information about prize-winning pumpkins. They can then answer the above questions using the new information. This time, students predict the number of seeds that would be inside the giant pumpkins. They make a table to hold the information and draw conclusions based upon their experiences.

Useful Web site

www.vrg.org/recipes/vjpumpkin.htm. This is a resource page for vegetarian cooking. It has some useful information about using pumpkin in recipes other than those to make pie.