Design for Learning

Instructor: Aaron Conner

Grade Level/Cooperating Teacher: Preschool
Lesson Title: The Pumpkin King
Date: October 27, 2014
Curriculum Area: Weather/Seasons/pumpkins
Estimated Time: 30 minutes

Standards Connection:
LL.P.3.1 Name a variety of pictures/objects and/or actions in the natural environment.
Learning Objective(s):
Students will listen to a story about pumpkins, describe a pumpkin, and be able to
complete the tracing assignment for the fall season. Provide O with Assistive Technology
support during the lesson.
Learning Objective(s) stated in kid-friendly language:
We are going to read a story today called Its the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, carve a
pumpkin, and create a fall project.
Evaluation of Learning Objective(s):
Students will identify and describe a pumpkin, trace the word pumpkin and appropriately
color a pumpkin as an art project.
Engagement:
The teacher will start the class with circle time and calendar review.
Good morning class. What is today? Yes it is Monday. Monday the 27th of October. (The
teacher will continue with the morning routine of singing the months of the year song, the
days of the week song, and talk about holidays and birthdays during October.) Now lets
sing the 5 Little Pumpkin song! The teacher will show O the month of October on his
Tobi and will ask him to show the day of the week, the season, and will move his hands as
they sing their songs.
He will emphasis the fall season and begin talking about pumpkins.
Alright class, we talked about the months and how we are currently in October. What is
the last day of the month called? Halloween! What kind of things comes to your minds
when I say Halloween? (Bats, Witches, Candy, Pumpkins, etc.) Excellent, well as you all
know today we are going to be cutting up a pumpkin today. So what is a pumpkin? A
pumpkin is a fruit that grows on a vine. Where else have we seen pumpkins before?
(Barney and the Farm, the 5 Little Pumpkin song, on the calendar activity for October,
etc.) Exactly. Pumpkins can be used in many different ways for example food,
decorations, or crops. The teacher will ask O to show him the color orange, a round
shape, and a farm on his Tobi when the class is talking about pumpkins. He will also
show different Halloween themed images such as bats, witches, candy, and jack-olanterns.
Learning Design:
I. Teaching:
The teacher will read the book The Great Pumpkin Charley Brown to the class. The
teacher will make sure that O has a chance to see each image before the page is turned.

Now that we have talked about pumpkins, lets listen to the book Its the Great Pumpkin
Charlie Brown.
The class will listen to the book.
Wow that was fun! What kind of things did you see in the story? (Pumpkins, kids, leaves,
trees, Halloween costumes, etc.) Yes I saw all of those things too and they did remind me
of Halloween! Halloween is only four days away! What were the peanut friends dressed
as for Halloween? (Ghosts) And what will you all be dressed up as this Halloween? How
I cannot wait to see them all. What was Linus waiting to see in the Pumpkin Patch? (The
great pumpkin) Have any of you been to a pumpkin patch? I went when I was in
Kindergarten. Now before we move on to our next activity, who would like a Halloween
sticker? The teacher will show O all of the images discussed in class on his Tobi so that
he can participate with the class in learning about pumpkins.
II. Opportunity for Practice:
The teacher will carve the pumpkin that the class has designed.
Ok class it is time for the moment you have all been waiting for. We are going to carve
the pumpkin and see what is inside! I love how you all have already drawn a design on
the pumpkin. This makes my job so much easier! The teacher will make sure to show O
the pumpkin and allow him to feel the outside and the inside of the pumpkin through hand
over hand assistance. He will also use the spoon with the ties to enable O to help scoop
out the pumpkin guts.
III. Assessment:
The teacher will guide the students to their work stations and will have them begin
making their own Jack-o-lanterns.
Alright class, head back to the table and get ready to trace. I want you all to choose two
colors and trace both the words and the image of the pumpkin. Before you start, please
write your name on the back of the paper and if you need any assistance with the tracing
please let Miss Katie or me know.
The teacher will be working either with O or Q to ensure that they are successful in
completing their worksheets. The teacher will use hand over hand to help each student
complete their work.
IV. Closure:
The teacher will collect all of the artwork and will prepare the class for going outside.
I am so very proud of you class. Please hand all of your work to either me or Miss Katie.
Now go line up at the sink if you have any paint on your hands or arms. Now we are
going to get ready for the playground. While we are lining up I want you to be ready to
find some leaves on the playground. We will put all of the leaves we found outside
together and count them when we get inside.
Materials and Resources:
Its the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown by Charles M. Schulz
Stickers
Pumpkin Activity
Pumpkin
Pumpkin Carving Kit
Promethean Board

Markers
Tobi
Spoon with handle tie

Differentiation Strategies (including plans for individual learners):

Higher Level: Students who need a challenge will be given paper to draw their own
Pumpkin.
O and Q: Will be given hand over hand aid to help them complete the project and will use
the Tobi when learning about pumpkins and when hearing the story.
Data Analysis:

Reflection:

Samford University
Design for Learning