Pumpkin Carving!!

Last week, as a review of sequence, I had the students complete a writing assignment "How to Carve a Pumpkin." Each student listed the steps in sequential order. The next day, as a surprise to them, I brought in a pumpkin and we carved it together as a class (don't worry...we were safe!). As we carved it, the students also had to explain what state of matter each part of the pumpkin was (outside, seeds, inside goo, etc). Hearing them explain the state of matter for the inside "goo" was pretty interesting and there was a great debate! Is it a liquid because it takes the shape of its container? Or is it a solid because it doesn't pour like a liquid? It really got them thinking!! For some of them it was the first time they had ever carved a pumpkin, or even felt the inside of one! Needless to say, it was a really exciting (and loud) Friday afternoon in my classroom! :)