My first science activity book was “The Pumpkin Project” which I’m presently going back over trying to see how I can turn it into teaching units, all 215 pages. Seeing the fall pumpkins encourages me.
Porch Displays
Several houses on my town routes have porch displays out. Many include pumpkins and other winter squash varieties. These come in so many shapes and colors.
These will sit out for people driving and walking by to admire at least until the end of October. The sad part is that these pumpkins and squash will get dumped into the trash.
“The Pumpkin Project”
As in my other science activity projects, this one includes pencil puzzles, trivia, stories, activities, projects and investigations. In addition, this book includes pumpkin recipes.
In the U.S. pumpkins are thought of as dessert, usually pie. Searching through my cookbooks, I found pumpkins can be cooked in many ways.
The flowers are used in a Mexican soup. The roasted seeds are a great snack. Pumpkin soups taste good.
There are several pumpkin breads. In fact, I just found a new one, a yeast bread using pumpkin puree and little sugar so it’s not a sweet bread. The Caribbean one has nuts, raisins and dates in it.
My favorite recipe is for pumpkin cookies. These taste a lot like pumpkin pie, but in cookie form.
The Main Ingredient
Doing the activities and investigations require having pumpkin seeds, plants and pumpkins. The seeds can be purchased in the spring. Pumpkins are available in the fall.
But growing pumpkins is fun. The mini types can be grown in a big pot on a porch. Giant pumpkins take lots and lots of room and care as the stories about giant pumpkin growers explains.
I grow sugar pie pumpkins. These don’t get really big, but they are the best for eating.
My Plans
As I walk through my pumpkin patch admiring the many pie pumpkins, I picture them as breads and cookies. There are enough to share with the goats as they love pumpkin pieces. Perhaps I will ask for some of those display pumpkins and winter squashes for the goats to enjoy.