This very simple text helps children be aware of faces.  This is a cute book to begin a discussion about emotions and also to give the children ideas for drawing their own pumpkin faces.

Materials

• A pumpkin shape from poster board or paper plate with holes punched out about ¼ inch from the edge and ½ inch apart all the way around.                 
• Ribbon or yarn                 
• 2 or 3 pumpkins.
• Metal Spoons for scooping a pumpkin

Vocabulary

• Jack-o-lantern (a pumpkin that someone has made a face on)
• Naming a variety of emotions
• Emotions (the different ways that you feel during the day)

Before Reading the Story

                  Bring a pumpkin to the carpet and ask the children what it is.  Find out what they know about pumpkins.  Do pumpkins grow in trees?  What do you think is inside of a pumpkin?  I wonder if they ever grow purple pumpkins?  Roll the pumpkin around the circle.  Can you think of other things that you can roll?

Language Development/Speaking & Communicating; develops increasing abilities to understand and use language to communicate information, experiences, ideas, feelings, opinions, needs, questions; and for other varied purposes. AND Science/Scientific Knowledge; expands knowledge of and abilities to observe, describe, and discuss the natural world, materials, living things, and natural processes.

Reading the Story

                  As you read, go slowly to see if the children can interpret the pumpkin face and name before you read the word.

Language Development/Speaking & Communicating; develops increasing abilities to understand and use language to communicate information, experiences, ideas, feelings, opinions, needs, questions; and for other varied purposes.

 After Reading the Story

Enlarge copies of 3-5 pumpkin faces. Hold one up and ask the children if they can tell you what feeling the pumpkin is representing. Then ask them to share something that makes them feel that way. (I get scared when my Dad turns off the light at night. I feel proud cause I can ride my bike with two wheels. I was mad cause my sister took my toy and threw it on the ground and it broke).

Language Development/Speaking & Communicating; develops increasing abilities to understand and use language to communicate information, experiences, ideas, feelings, opinions, needs, questions; and for other varied purposes.

Discovery

                  Put a pumpkin into the science center.  Cut the top so the children can begin to pull the guts out and explore the pumpkin using all of their senses. If the children are hesitant to putting their hands inside the pumpkin, cut the pumpkin in half so that it is easier and less gooey to scoop. As the children work, write down their responses to how it feels, smells, tastes, what did you find inside, how does the outside feel, etc..

Science/Scientific Skills & Methods; develops growing abilities to collect, describe, and record information through a variety of means including discussion, drawings, maps, and charts.

Music and Movement

              Sing, If You’re Happy and You Know It.  Sing using different emotions with each verse.  Have the children make the facial and body language to go with each emotion.

Language Development/Listening & Understanding; demonstrates increasing ability to attend to and understand conversations, stories, songs, and poems.

Teach the children the poem, Scary Eyes.

See these big and scary eyes, (Make two circle with hands and put around eyes) It’s a Halloween Surprise. BOO! (Wait a beat and then Pop hands away from eyes)

Language Development/Listening & Understanding; demonstrates increasing ability to attend to and understand conversations, stories, songs, and poems.

Blocks

                  Encourage the children to build ramps and then find things that they will roll down. Have the children sort things that roll and do not roll. Can they tell what all the rolling objects have in common? (roundness)

Science/Scientific Skills & Methods; begins in simple investigations to test observations, discuss and draw conclusions, and form generalizations.

 Art

                  Put large pumpkin shapes at the easel.  The children can paint pumpkins or try to make a jack-o-lantern face.

Creative Arts/Art; progresses in abilities to create drawings, paintings, models, and other art creations that are more detailed, creative, or realistic. AND Physical Health & Development/Fine Motor Skills; progresses in abilities to use writing , drawing, and art tools, including pencils,markers, chalk, paint brushes, and various types of technology.

 Library and Writing

                  Play the Pumpkin Memory game.  The children find pairs of pumpkins and then must name the emotion and something that would make them feel that way.

Mathematics/Patterns & Measurement; shows increasing abilities to match, sort, put in a series, and regroup objects according to one or two attributes such as shape or size. AND Approaches to Learning/Engagement & Persistence; grows in abilities to persist in and complete a variety of tasks, activities, projects, and experiences.

 Sand and Water

                  Do a float and sink experiment today.  Fill the water table up with water and then ask the children if they think a pumpkin will float or sink.  Put a pumpkin into the table and see what happens.  Encourage the children to explore further float and sink .

Science/Scientific Skills & Methods; begins to participate in simple investigations to test observations, discuss and draw conclusions, and form generalizations.

 Dramatic Play

If you have old Halloween costumes you could put them in the center for the children to experience with. (I have found that children like old hats and wigs also but you must make sure that no one has lice in your classroom).

Approaches to Learning/Initiative & Curiosity; chooses to participate in an increasing variety of tasks and activities.

 Math and Manipulatives

                  Give each child a pumpkin shape with holes punched out all around the edges.  Show the children how to lace the ribbon through the holes to go around the pumpkin.  When the child has finished lacing the pumpkin, encourage them to draw a face.

Physical Health & Development/Fine Motor Skills; grows in hand-eye coordination in building with blocks, putting together puzzles, reproducing shapes and patterns, stringing beads, and using scissors. AND Creative Arts/Art; progresses in abilities to create drawings, paintings, models, and other art creations that are more detailed, creative, or realistic.

Outdoor Play

                  Practice rolling on the grass.

Physical Health & Development/Health Status & Practices; progresses in physical growth, strength, stamina, and flexibility.

 Transitions

                  Let each child pick a pumpkin face card and act out the expression.  Can the other children guess what emotion the child is trying to express?

Approaches to Learning/Reasoning & Problem Solving; grows in recognizing and solving problems through active exploration, including trial and error, and interactions and discussions with peers and adults.

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