Lesson Title

Arts Integrated Focus Lesson

Life Cycle of Pumpkins

Date

10/30/14

Subject

Reading/ Language Arts

Objectives

Students will be able to become familiar with the

life cycle of pumpkins.
Students will be able to identify the different stages
of the pumpkin life cycle through creative body
movements.

Standards
Addressed

Common Core Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.8
With guidance and support from adults, recall
information from experiences or gather information
from provided sources to answer a question.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.5
Add drawings or other visual displays to
descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas,
thoughts, and feelings.
Maryland Voluntary State Standards
Standard 1.0 Perceiving, Performing, and
Responding: Aesthetic Education. INDICATOR
1. Demonstrate knowledge of how elements of
dance are used to communicate meaning. Objective
a. Identify and demonstrate basic and irregular
locomotor and non-locomotor movements that
communicate ideas, thoughts, and feelings.

Activities

1. Discuss with students the theme of the week:

pumpkins
2. Discuss with students their preconceptions of
pumpkins (pumpkin pie, jack-o-lanterns,
carving pumpkins, Halloween, etc.
3. Explain to students that though we usually
think of these things when we think about
pumpkins, there is actually a lot more to
pumpkins than we think!
4. Ask students if they knew that pumpkins go
through a life cycle? Explain to students that
just like we as humans go through a life cycle,
so do pumpkins!

5. Play for students the life cycle of pumpkins

song video
6. Show students the life cycle of pumpkins
picture and review each of the stages shown
in the video
7. Explain to students that to fully understand
what pumpkins go through in their life cycle,
we are going to reenact the pumpkin life cycle
through creative body movements.
8. Explain to students that in order to do this
activity and have fun its important that we
follow these rules: keep our hands to
ourselves, stay in our own space, and follow
the directions the teacher gives you. If we can
follow these directions than we can have fun!
9. With the life cycle of pumpkins graphic
displayed on the board, go through each of
the stages of the life cycle and designate
body movements for each stage.
a. Seed: Very quietly get as low to the
ground as you can and curl up into a
tiny round shape
b. Sprout: staying curled up and low to
the ground, slowly reach your arms out
to the sides and grab the air around
you.
c. Vine: Slowly reach one of your arms up
into the air like it is growing out of the
ground reaching for the sun.
d. Flower: Slowly begin moving your body
with your hands by your side up as tall
as you can like you are growing and
reaching for the sky. Pop your arms out,
away from your body and stretch your
fingers as far apart as you can like a
leaf unfolding. Slowly move your head
back and look up to the sky while
reaching and twirling your hands and
arms like pedals of a flower blooming.
e. Green pumpkin: Bring your arms
together to make a circle in front of your
body and at the same time tilt your
head down looking to the floor, curling
your body into a round shape.
f. Orange pumpkin: Bring your arms
above your head keeping them in a big

circle shape and slowly lift your head up

10.
Practice going through the body
movements for each stage of life.
11.
Play the life cycle of pumpkins song
video again this time doing the dance to the
song.
12.
Have students go back to their seats to
complete the life cycle of pumpkins graphic
organizer
Accommodatio
ns

Assessment

Co-teaching
methods
utilized

For students with special needs, they will be

given the pictures of the different stages of
the life cycle of a pumpkin with the
vocabulary word on it as well and will be able
to glue the pieces of paper onto the graphic
organizer in the correct spot.
Informal Assessment: Observations throughout
the lesson- Is the student participating in the dance
movements? Is the student behaving correctly
during the dance?
Formal Assessment: Graphic organizer- 10 points
possible (2 points possible for each stage of the life
cycle of a pumpkin: I point for vocabulary word
written down and 1 point for a picture drawn of the
stage).
Proximity/ Grazing (used throughout lesson)