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Pumpkin Facts & Worksheets

A pumpkin is a squash plant that is usually orange or deep yellow. Pumpkins have seeds, which is why they are technically considered a fruit.

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A pumpkin is a squash plant that is usually orange or deep yellow. Pumpkins have seeds, which is why they are technically considered a fruit. However, in cooking, they are considered vegetables.

See the fact file below for more information on the pumpkin or alternatively, you can download our 23-page Pumpkin worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

WHERE DID IT GET ITS NAME?

  • The word pumpkin comes from the Greek word “pepon”, which means “large melon.”
  • After the French used the term pompon and the British used pumpion, the Americans adapted it to pumpkin in the 17th century.
  • The terms “pumpkin” and “squash” are interchangeable.
  • Traditionally, pumpkins in North America and the United Kingdom are those of round orange varieties, while it can refer to any appearance of a winter squash in Australia and New Zealand.

WHERE DID PUMPKINS COME FROM?

  • All pumpkins are winter squash, which are fruit species in the genus Cucurbita.
  • Squash, which includes pumpkins, originated in northeastern Mexico and the southern United States.
  • They are recorded to have been found in Mexico around 7000 to 5500 BC.
  • Pumpkins are grown all around the world and are sold as agricultural, commercial, or ornamental products.
  • Pumpkins cannot be grown in Antarctica, though, because of the climate.
  • The top pumpkin-producing states in the US are Illinois, Indiana, California, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.
  • The “pumpkin capital of the world” is Morton, Illinois, which reportedly produces 80% of the world’s canned pumpkin.

WHAT DOES A PUMPKIN LOOK LIKE?

  • Usually, pumpkins are orange but they can also be yellow, white, red, or dark green.
  • White pumpkins became increasingly popular in the United States around 2005.
  • Pumpkins have thick shells and slightly ribbed skin.
  • They are shaped like a sphere, most of the time.
  • Pumpkins contain pulp and seeds, which is why they are considered fruits.
  • A typical pumpkin has around 500 seeds.
  • Pumpkins have both male and female flowers.
  • An average-sized pumpkin weighs around 13 pounds, but pumpkins can be grown to giant sizes as big as 1,000 pounds!
  • The world record for the heaviest pumpkin was 1,810 pounds, which was recorded in 2010.
  • More than 1,5 billion pounds of pumpkin are produced in the United States annually.

HOW IS PUMPKIN COOKED AND EATEN?

  • All the parts of a pumpkin are edible: the skin, flowers, seeds, pulp, leaves, and stem.
  • Pumpkins consist 90% water and are low in calories.
  • A hundred grams of pumpkin produces approximately 26 calories of energy.
  • Pumpkin can be cooked in a lot of ways: baking, roasting, steaming, boiling, and mixing it in other dishes.
  • Some of the most popular pumpkin products are pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup, and pumpkin seeds.
  • Originating from North America, the sweet pumpkin pie is traditionally served as a dessert during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and harvest time.
  • Pumpkin seeds, also called pepitas, are flat, oval, rich in nutrients, and covered by a white husk.
  • Pumpkin seeds are eaten as a snack and are a good source of protein, zinc, magnesium, and copper.
  • Pumpkin leaves are eaten as a vegetable in Korean and Chinese cuisine.
  • Canned pumpkin, which is high in fiber, is often recommended as a dietary supplement for dogs and cats that suffer from constipation, diarrhea, or hairballs, in order to aid digestion.
  • Raw pumpkin may be fed to poultry to aid egg production.
  • When pressed, roasted pumpkin seeds produce a thick oil called pumpkin seed oil, which is used for cooking or salad dressings.
  • Pumpkin seed oil contains healthy fatty acids.
  • Small pumpkins are served as savory tempura in Japan.
  • In Myanmar and Thailand, pumpkins are turned into desserts like candied pumpkins, and custard-filled pumpkin.
  • In Italy, pumpkin can be used as stuffing for ravioli.
  • In Vietnam, pumpkins are cooked with pork or shrimp in soups.

HOW IS PUMPKIN USED IN HALLOWEEN?

  • Once Halloween season starts, you will see pumpkin decorations and prints pop up as well.
  • Pumpkins are popular during Halloween and are often used as decorations.
  • A carved pumpkin lit up by candles is called a ‘jack-o-lantern’.
  • The jack-o-lantern originated from Ireland, where they used to carve faces into root vegetables during the Gaelic festival of Samhain.

WHAT IS PUMPKIN CHUNKING?

  • Pumpkin chunking is a competitive activity where the goal is to throw a pumpkin as far as possible with a custom-made mechanical device built by the competitors.
  • The most common mechanical devices used are catapults, trebuchets, air cannons, and ballistas.
  • Pumpkins may also be specialized and cultured to improve their aerodynamics and chances of being thrown far.

Pumpkin Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the pumpkins across 23 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Pumpkin worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about a pumpkin which is a squash plant that is usually orange or deep yellow. Pumpkins have seeds, which is why they are technically considered a fruit. However, in cooking, they are considered vegetables.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Pumpkin Facts
  • Yes or No?
  • Spot The Pumpkins
  • Pumpkin Dictionary
  • Top-Producing States
  • Yum, Pumpkin!
  • Just Like Pumpkins
  • Halloween Decor
  • Rhyming Poem
  • My Jack-O-Lantern
  • Carved Pumpkin Collage

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Link will appear as Pumpkin Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, October 30, 2019

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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