Post by @preschoolvibes

My favorite science center for October is our pumpkin investigation! There’s so much to explore with pumpkins of different sizes, colors, and textures. Students can measure pumpkins, test whether they sink or float, hammer golf tees into a pumpkin, and use a magnifying glass to examine smooth and bumpy skin. I include real photo word cards and a nonfiction pumpkin book to support vocabulary and give them more information to explore. After a week or two, I switch out activities based on what they’re most interested in. Scoop and Explore lets them investigate the pulp and seeds inside a pumpkin. A half-page observation sheet gives them a place to draw what they notice, and laminated life cycle pictures with Velcro dots let them practice putting the stages in order. It’s hands-on practice with observing, comparing, measuring, making predictions, and describing discoveries, all in one center!