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On October 30, 2006 we opened a 5 lb. pumpkin, removed
the pulp and seeds, and counted the seeds. We
participated in a collaborative Internet project hosted
by
Jennifer Wagner, the 2006 Pumpkin Seed Count Project.
They had 147 classrooms
participate and 63,331 pumpkin seeds were counted!
Before the day of the count, we learned about pumpkins.
Some important things are:
Pumpkins are fruit and they grow on
vines.
The flowers are yellow and dry up as the small green
fruit appears at the bottom of the flower.
The bottom of the pumpkin has a spot called the
blossom end where it was attached to the flower.
The lines on the pumpkin are called ribs.
Pumpkins make great pies and jack-o-lanterns (but we
knew that!)
After opening the pumpkin, our class looked inside and
estimated the number of seeds. We learned that an
estimate is a thoughtful guess. The
estimates ranged from 15 to
300 seeds! We removed the pulp and seeds with a
big spoon and then by hand! Some comments were:
Yuk!
Slimy!
Not me!
Can I try?
Do I have to?
Can I go again?
Everyone had to separate the pulp
and seeds at their own desk. We grouped seeds into
piles of 5. Then Mrs. M. and Mrs. K. helped each
student count up their total number. All the
totals were recorded on chalkboard and we added them up
together. Our pumpkin had 454 seeds!
Ingrid's estimate of 300 was the closest so she took the
pumpkin home. Some of us also took home our seeds
and told our families about our work.
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