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Pumpkin Exploration


The Teacher as Facilitator

This activity gathers the students into cooperative groups to observe, predict, gather data, set up a record of their findings and discuss the difference between estimation and exact totals.

Allowing the students to determine which characteristics they will examine gives them responsibility for the activity and an ownership in its outcome.

As the groups begin their task, the teacher acts as a facilitator, helping them start their examinations and encouraging participation by every group member.

Each member is responsible for a question, but some of the questions are more complicated than others: measuring the pumpkins' circumferences and translating them to inches will take more time than listing their colors. To complete the data sheet, group members will need to negotiate and distribute the work.

Cooperative groups can accomplish academic tasks as well as promote the social skills necessary for successfully working together. Listening to each other, assisting one another, sharing and disagreeing in a positive way are all skills that are required for productive group work. Praise group members who are exhibiting those skills.

Monitor the groups' interactions, but give them time to work out problems that may occur. If the teacher tries to immediately step in and resolve conflicts, the students will not build the skills needed for future activities.

Pumpkin Exploration: An Elementary Activity

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