Jack-o-Lantern Carving and Lighting

Posted Date: 11/24/2023

The smell of fresh pumpkin filled the air entering after Ms Shiavetta’s Kindergarten/1st grade class at Forest Lake this week. Students were gathered around the table watching with wide eyes focussed on the day’s lesson. Pumpkins! 

The directions were carefully outlined on the smartboard available for each student to review as before starting the class project.  Four out of the five senses were used during this lesson where students could see the pumpkin change right before their eyes as they touched it and smelled the pulp before its complete transformation into a jack-o-lantern ready for display.

Students learned how to draw a face on the pumpkin with a marker, watched as Ms. Shiavetta cut around the stem, scoop out the pulp and seeds, carve the pumpkin face, and lit it.

The students were intently focussed on action each taking turns as they each scooped out every single seed, popped out the freshly carved eyes, nose and mouth before the grand finale of the newly created jack-o-lantern was lit. But don’t worry, the class electrician responsible for turning the classroom lights on and off, happily walked over to turn the light switch off setting the finale.

Safely, the pumpkin was cleverly set aglow using Ms. Shiavetta’s cell phone flashlight as the childread squealed with excitement proud of their fall class project.