Pumpkin Week: Writing in Every Subject

Lena's Pumpkin Week Pages

1Every October, the fourth graders in Room 9 spend one whole week learning with a giant pumpkin. They use it in science, math, art, and more. Ms. Delgado, their teacher, asks each student to save the writing they do that week. Here are five pieces by Lena Park. Under each one, Lena added a note that tells how long it took and who it was for.

2Science log, Monday. Prediction: Our pumpkin will sink because it feels so heavy. Test: We set the pumpkin in a big tub of water. Result: It floated! New question: Would a tiny pumpkin float too?
Lena's note: I wrote this during our test, in about ten minutes. It is for my lab group, so we can remember what happened.

3Math journal, Tuesday. How we counted the seeds: First, we scooped out all the seeds. Then we put them in piles of ten. We made 48 piles, and 6 seeds were left over. 48 tens is 480, and 480 plus 6 is 486. Our pumpkin had 486 seeds.
Lena's note: I wrote this in one math class. It explains my thinking to Ms. Delgado, so I showed every step.

4Art card, Wednesday. Title: Pumpkin at Sunset, by Lena Park. I used orange and gold paint to show warm evening light on our pumpkin. Please do not touch, because the paint is wet.
Lena's note: This card took me five minutes. It hangs next to my painting in the hallway, where anyone walking by can read it.

5Thank-you letter, Thursday. Dear Mr. Ansah, Thank you for bringing our class the giant pumpkin. We counted its seeds, painted pictures of it, and tested whether it would float. My favorite part was watching it bob in the water. Sincerely, Lena
Lena's note: Mr. Ansah lives next door to our school, and he grew the pumpkin himself. I wrote his letter in one afternoon.

6Newsletter article, Monday to Friday. Room 9 Goes Pumpkin Crazy! This week, every subject in Room 9 had one thing in common: a giant pumpkin.
Lena's note: This article took the whole week. On Monday, I took notes in each class. On Wednesday, I wrote a draft. On Thursday, my partner Omar read it and said it needed more details. So I added the seed count and the float test. On Friday, I made a neat copy for the family newsletter.