Take a class of youngsters to a local pumpkin patch. Have the children search through the pumpkin patch and see if they can find the biggest pumpkin ever. Have the children guess how much they think the pumpkin weighs and write their guesses down on a small piece of paper with each child’s name on it. See if the local farmer will weigh the pumpkin and see which child came closest to the actual weight.
Bring the biggest pumpkin you can find into class. Use this opportunity to teach the children about the growth cycle and the different parts of the pumpkin. Have the children help to measure the pumpkin. Take measurements of the height and diameter. Carve a hole in the top of the pumpkin and have the children help scoop out the seeds. Bring in a toaster oven and teach the children how to roast the pumpkin seeds after they have been cleaned.
Get the children excited to grow their very own “biggest pumpkin ever.” Have the children help clean and dry pumpkin seeds from the pumpkin you have previously cleaned out. Stick the pumpkin seed into a paper cup with a small amount of soil. If this is not possible, have the child wrap the seed in a wet paper towel and place it in a plastic baggy to transport home. The children can then plant their very own pumpkin plant at home and try to grow the “biggest pumpkin ever.”
Every year, pumpkin growers worldwide try to grow the largest pumpkin in the world. In 2009, the largest pumpkin on record was grown by Christy Harp of Jackson Township, Ohio. Her giant pumpkin weighed in at 1,725 pounds. In 2010, that record was shattered by Chris Stevens of Richmond, Wisconsin when his pumpkin weighed in at a whopping 1,810.5 pounds. Children get excited to see pictures of, and learn about, these giant pumpkins and learn how they were grown.