Pumpkin Comparing, Measuring and Weighing Challenges
A really fun Autumn/ Halloween or end of half term maths activity that can be adapted to different age groups 😊
You will need 5 (or more) Pumpkins ranging from small to HUGE
Label the pumpkins A, B, C, D, E or give them fun Pumpkins names like Percy, Petra, Penny, Pete and Petal or possibly spooky/Halloween names (if appropriate); a sharpie works well for naming pumpkins
For young children – Age 3-6
For younger children talking about the pumpkins and using lots of maths vocabulary such as bigger, smaller, less than, more than, heavier, lighter is a great fun activity to develop understanding of size and weight; ordering from smallest to biggest follows on nicely. Attached is a simple sheet with 5 pumpkins of varying sizes – ask the children to cut out (or pre-cut for them if required) and order the pumpkins pictures from smallest to biggest. It is fun to colour the pumpkins once they are glued on a new sheet in the right order. We have also attached some pumpkin counting and simple adding sheets.
For KS1/2- Ages 6-11
We like to start with revising any previous work on weighing in grams and kilograms- we always have some weights at hand and we hold 1kg, ½ kg 2kg etc first to start to get an idea of what a certain amount of weight feels like. If you don’t have weights you can make them by using sand in zip lock bags or finding household items weighing these amounts e.g. a 1kg bag of sugar
We then ask the children to take turns holding a pumpkin, estimating its weight and then weighing it on either balance scales or kitchen scales (you can vary this according to age/ ability)
If in a class situation we have used a pumpkin per table and either passed the pumpkins between tables (to allow for different differentiated resources on each table (e.g. balance or kitchen scales with increasingly accurate scales, weights to hold to compare or not) or had the children move tables to estimate or weigh each pumpkin if working in mixed ability groups.
We have attached three versions of a blank weighing chart for recording.
Extension activities can include
Finding the difference between estimate and actual weight
Finding the total weight of two or more pumpkins
Finding the difference in weight between two pumpkins
Writing word problems involving pumpkins – Keep your receipt from buying the pumpkins so the children can write about weight and cost.
KS2/3/4
Find the circumference of your pumpkin in centimetres or metres and then extend as appropriate to finding the approx. volume of each pumpkin- three differentiated worksheets attached
Weigh the pumpkins as above- use different scales and decide how accurate your weighing is – nearest 100g/10g/1g /0.1g etc – decide how accurate the scales are
Express the weight of 1 pumpkin as a fraction of another e.g. Pete 512g and Polly is 2200g so what is the weight of Pete as a fraction of the weight of Polly. 512/2200
Round each weight to the nearest 1kg, 100g, 10g, 1dp or 1sf 2sf? (weighing record sheets include one for rounding that can be differentiated)
WE LIKE TO INCLUDE A HALLOWEEN SWEET TREAT AFTERWARDS FOR GOOD WORK! 😊
We have included FIVE FREE pdf files for you to download here ...
The Dyscalculia Network - Pumpkin Ordering Worksheet
The Dyscalculia Network - Pumpkin Bonds for 10
The Dyscalculia Network - Pumpkin Counting 1
Dyscalculia Network - Pumpkin Weighing Charts a-c
The Dyscalculia Network - Pumpkin Circumference Charts a-c
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