Materials
whole pumpkin
knife (adult only)
9" x 12" baking pan
water
aluminum foil
blender or food processor
butter
ingredients for pumpkin muffins or bread
muffin tin or loaf pan
measuring cups and spoons
mixing spoon and bowl
Instructions
1. Wash and cut open the pumpkin. Encourage children to smell it.
2. Remove the seeds. Using your hands, remove and save the pulp.
3. Encourage the children to describe the textures of the pumpkin.
4. Cut off thin slices of pumpkin flesh and have the children taste it.
5. Place the pumpkin, cut side down, in the baking pan. Add 1/2 cup of
water.
6. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Let cool.
7. Remove the foil and encourage the children to observe the changes in
the pumpkin. The pumpkin is darker and soft because heat changes the
consistency of things.
8. Scoop out some of the soft pumpkin pulp. Puree it in a blender or food
processor. Add some of the liquid from the baking pan, if needed.
9. Use the pureed pumpkin in any recipe that calls for canned pumpkin.
Let the children measure, pour, and mix.
10. Eat the muffins. Compare the appearance of the batter to the finished
product. Explain again how heat changes things.
More to do More Snack: Melt butter and coat the pumpkin seeds. Bake at 250 degrees
until golden brown. Salt and eat.
Science: Let uncooked seeds dry and then plant one of the seeds,
encouraging the children to watch the growing process occur over time.
