Use paint and paper to create symmetrical pumpkin designs on a jack-o-lantern. Fold a piece of orange paper in half lengthwise. Instruct students to cut one-half of a pumpkin, beginning with the top folded edge and cutting a semicircle around to the bottom folded edge. Open the pumpkin and using nontoxic paint, instruct students to paint one triangle eye; a semicircle nose, putting the straight edge adjacent to the folded crease; and half an arced mouth. Students refold the paper and press lightly on the paint to transfer the color to the opposite side of the pumpkin, creating the symmetrical face. Challenge students to paint more intricate designs, Halloween wording or other spooky decorations on the pumpkins as a more advanced activity.
Use a paper plate to form a symmetrical pumpkin mask for Halloween. Students use templates to trace two jack-o-lantern eyes, one nose and one mouth to paste onto an orange-colored paper plate. Students glue facial features to the plate, ensuring they are evenly spaced from the center to align symmetrical. Cut small eye holes in the center if students are unable to safely cut the holes themselves.
In a separate activity, cover a round balloon with papier mache (newspaper strips dipped into a mixture of equal parts of flour and water). Layer each strip over the balloon ensuring even coverage. When the balloon is dry, pop the inner balloon, remove the balloon scraps, cut a hole in the bottom of the papier mache and paint the sphere orange. Cut symmetrical holes for eyes, nose and a mouth and allow students to wear the pumpkin helmet.
Create fall decor with paper resembling a pumpkin by cutting a pumpkin shape into the front of a paper bag; one layer of the widest side. Use a template for students in first or second grades. Students glue orange tissue paper inside the bag, over the pumpkin-shaped hole. Insert a battery-operated tea light candle to construct a symmetric pumpkin luminary.
Students construct a pumpkin mobile by tracing three of the exact same size pumpkins from construction paper, punch a hole in the top of each and attach yarn strings through the holes. Measure the two outer pumpkin strings to 8 inches and the center pumpkin string to 5 inches. Hang them from a dowel rod or a plastic clothing hanger for a decorative and symmetric pumpkin mobile.
Measure and cut three identical triangles, an oval mouth and four 12-inch strips of paper. Trace and cut two identical mitten and shoe shapes. Fold one-inch sections on each of the paper strips, alternating between folding to the front and back in an accordion fold. Glue one mitten onto the end of two of the strips and the two shoes on the two remaining strips. Glue them symmetrically to the back of an orange-painted paper plate so the arms are exactly opposite of each other, as are the two leg strips. Add two eyes the same distance from a center line, another triangle for the nose and the oval underneath the nose on the center line as well. Add two identical leaves to the top of the paper plate an equal distance apart from the center line.