Pumpkin Unit Study for Grades 1–3 | Hands-On Fall Activities

How many seeds are hiding inside a pumpkin? Will it float? Can you build a cart strong enough to carry it?

Bring a pumpkin to the kitchen table and see where those questions take you! This printable Pumpkin Unit Study for Grades 1–3 brings literacy, math, science, and STEM together in one fall theme. The lessons and recording pages are ready to print, so you can spend more time exploring with your children.

Here’s what your children will do

• Read and play with words. Explore rhymes and syllables in Five Little Pumpkins, then write or tell a funny new ending.
• Measure and count. Estimate a pumpkin’s size and weight, count seeds in groups of ten, and practise place value, addition, and arrays.
• Think like a scientist. Test what sinks or floats, label the parts of a pumpkin, explore its life cycle, and record changes as a seed sprouts.
• Design and build. Make a farmer’s cart from recycled materials and test whether it can carry a mini pumpkin.
• Explore and bake. Learn about pumpkins around the world and practise measuring and following directions with a pumpkin cupcake recipe.

What’s included

You’ll get a printable PDF with a unit overview, learning objectives, a materials list, student activity and recording pages, assessment suggestions, and an answer key.

Pick one activity for your morning learning time or spread the unit over several days. If you’re teaching siblings, try the same activity together. One child can share observations aloud while another writes or records their results.

Format: Digital PDF download. No physical product will be shipped. For personal or single-classroom use.