The preschool was given a beautiful pumpkin by our friend and a former teacher, Anna. I think it was grown by a homeschooled child. It was perfect because my pumpkin seed did not get planted in time so the vine frosted on the first frost before pumpkins grew on them. Older children were ready to draw the eyes, nose, and mouth. The children surrounded me with curiosity when I cut the top around the stem and lifted it up. Healthy looking seeds were dangling from the "lid" (each attached by orange stringy things). O.F. said, "It looks like a jellyfish". I moved the "jellyfish" like it was swimming in the air above them. M.came over and watched me pull out rest of the seeds with hands. He wrinkled his nose for the impressive mess that continued to be scooped out of the pumpkin. Older children took turns drawing eyes, nose, and mouth. We sang:
Once I had a pumpkin, oh pumpkin, oh pumpkin Once I had a pumpkin with no face at all. With no eyes and no nose And no mouth and no ears Once I had a pumpkin with no face at all.
So I made a Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern So I made a Jack-O-Lantern with a big funny face. With big eyes and big nose And big mouth and big ears So I made a Jack-O-Lantern with a big funny face.
The face made the pumpkin have a humorous characteristic. G. kept putting fingers in the mouth. We pretended to save her fingers from getting eaten by the Jack-O-Lantern. She thought it was a fun game. We put a candle in it to see it glow. Happy Halloween to everyone!