STEM FAIR PROJECTProject title: PONDER THE PUMPKIN, GRASSHOPPER

Class Project: Mr. Moffatt’s Third Graders

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM• Does the size of a pumpkin effect the

number of seeds in the pumpkin?

PROJECT OVERVIEW• Pumpkins come in all shapes and sizes.

At this time of year you begin to see pumpkins everywhere. As questions arose in the classroom, it became apparent that we needed to do a formal investigation of some of these magnificent orange orbs.

RESEARCH• Pumpkins are:

– a kind of fruit that grow on a vine like other kinds of squash and have a variety of textures, sizes and shapes.

– planted in the early spring and harvested in autumn (a life cycle of about 16 weeks).

– an important part of our American story. Native American Indians showed the Pilgrims how to plant pumpkins.

– 90 percent water.

– not just for carving. They are a tremendous source of vitamin A (good for your eyes, skin, teeth and bones) and vitamin C (helps fight infection)

VARIABLES• Controlled variables: One variety of

pumpkin was used.

• Independent variable: This was a bit tricky. Each pumpkin was a different weight and size (no two pumpkins are alike).

• Dependent variable: The number of seeds inside each pumpkin.

HYPOTHESIS• Eleven members our classroom predicted

that the size of the pumpkin would effect the amount of seeds inside while 16 class members guessed that it would not change the amount.

MATERIALS• Five pumpkins of various sizes.

• Scale

• Data collection apparatus

• Implements to open the pumkins

PROCEDURE• Order the pumpkins from smallest to

largest

• Weigh the pumpkins (function of size)

• Measure circumference of pumpkins (function of size)

• Open the pumpkins

• Count seeds using groups of ten

• Record data

DATA/OBSERVATIONS

Pumkin

Weight (in

pounds)

Seed Count

1 4 400

2 8 400

3 15 620

4 18 660

5 21 504

CONCLUSION• From the data it can be seen that Pumpkin 1 and 2 had

the same number of seeds. Pumpkin 3 had 620 seeds and Pumpkin 4 had 660. That is just a 40 seed difference! Pumpkin 5 had 156 seeds less than Pumpkin 4. The overall range of seed counts from least to greatest was 260 seeds. In a previous study conducted by a class of 4th graders in 2010 there were similar results. They tested six pumpkins. Pumpkin A (2 pounds) contained 500 seeds. Pumpkin B (5 pounds) contained 410, as did 6 pound Pumpkin C. Pumpkin D (8 pounds) had 455 seeds. Pumpkin E (11 pounds) had 620 seeds. Twenty-two pound Pumpkin F contained 575 seeds. The range in that study was 220 seeds. Further studies do need to be conducted, but it seems evident that the size of the pumpkin is not a significant factor in the number of seeds found therein.

WORKS CITED

• Farmer, Jacqueline. Pumpkins. Watertown: Charlesbridge, 2004.

• Fridell, Ron. Life Cycle of a Pumpkin. Chicago: Reed Educational & Professional Publishing, 2001.

• Gibbons, Gail. The Pumpkin Book. New York: Holiday House, 1999.

• King, Elizabeth. The Pumpkin Patch. New York: Puffin Books, 1990.

• Levenson, George. Pumpkin Circle: The Story of a Garden. Berkley: Tricycle Press, 1999.

• Watts, Barrie. Watch It Grow: Pumpkin. North Mankato: Smart Apple Media, 2003.