Summer Institutes- Continuing Education for Teachers in AFCA Coaching,CA: Merced, Modesto, MI: Okemos, OR: Redmond, Salem, WA: Bow, Kent, Montesano, Moseslake, Olympia, Snohomish, Spokane, Sunnyside, TriCities, Wenatchee.

Unit Summary: This is a third grade unit on the exploration of watermelons designed to begin the school year. This fresh-off-the-vine assortment of back-to-school ideas will allow students a variety of experiences and strategies in the areas of Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science and Art. Students will take part in hands on activities, recording data, research, and technology. Students will be involved in cooperative group activities and individually. Lessons will last 30 minutes each. In order for the students to develop an interest in watermelons, I will cut watermelon shapes for each student, write his/her name on them and place them on a bulletin board with a brown background and paper make watermelon vines to fill in. Starting with a green circle and cutting toward the center using a spiral pattern can make curly watermelon vines. Weave in and out of the watermelons that are already on the board.

The Wonder Box
Set the stage for this unit by introducing the Wonder Box. You will need a watermelon and a lidded box large enough to hold the melon. Use gift wrap or bulletin-board paper to wrap the lid and the box. Place the melon inside the box, secure the lid, and attach a construction-paper sign labeled “The Wonder Box.” Display the box for the class to see. Invite students to ask questions to determine the box’s contents. Explain to students that they may only ask questions that can be answered with a “yes” or a “not.” Once the students have identified the box’s contents, remove the melon from the box for everyone to view. The students will enjoy the excitement of this activity, and also are working on questioning skills too.

What-A-Melon!
This is a listening activity. On white construction paper, duplicate student copies of a watermelon copy. Have each student color and cut out his/her watermelon pattern, and attach a craft-stick handle. Read a watermelon statement from a list of facts (listed below) about watermelons. If a student thinks the statement is true, they hold up the watermelon, if they think the statement is false, they do nothing. Next, reveal that all the statements are true. Then reread each statement to the class. Students can’t help but be amazed at the remarkable patch of facts!

Watermelon Facts:

• Watermelons probably first grew in Africa.
• Watermelons are about 93% water.
• The flesh inside of a watermelon can be white, greenish white, yellow, orange, pink, or red.
• Most watermelons weigh between 5 and 40 pounds.
• Watermelons grow on vines.
• Watermelons are vegetables.
• As many as 15 watermelons may grow on one watermelon vine.
• Thomas Jefferson grew watermelons at his home.
• Every part of the watermelon can be eaten.
• The average American in the United States eats about 16 pounds of watermelon each year.
• The watermelon is a cousin to the cucumber.
• In some places watermelons are fed to farm animals.

A Patch of Special Students
Here’s a booklet project that reminds students of how special they are! I allow three days to work on this project. To begin, photograph each student. Then have each student write a story about his/her self that describes their hobbies, family, and other interests. Collect and edit these stories.

On the second day, give each child a paper-plate half, a precut booklet paper, and the story he/she wrote. Have each student personalize the back of her plate half, then use a green crayon to color the plate’s rim. While the students are quietly copying their stories on to the booklet paper, have small groups visit a painting center. At the center, have each student use thinned tempera paint to paint the rim of the plate green and the center of the plate red.

On the third day, have each child trace both of their hands on green paper and cut out the resulting shapes. Then give each child the painted plate half, an unpainted plate half, and a brad. To assemble the booklet project, a student places the story between the paper plate booklet covers and attaches them with a brad. Next they glue the hand cutouts to the back cover and curl the resulting foliage around a pencil for a desired effect. Finally distribute the photographs that you took on the first day of the project. Have each student trim and mount the photo on the front cover of the booklet. The booklets can be displayed on a bulletin board titled “A Patch of Very Special Students.”

A Talking Watermelon?
Remind students that historians believe that the watermelon originated in Africa. Then share with students the West African trickster tale Anansi and the Talking Melon retold by Eric A. Kimmel. After discussing the story, brainstorm favorite parts about the story and challenge students to write and illustrate a short story about watermelons. Direct students to begin the process of publishing a story, start prewriting, draft, revision, edit and finally publish. Students will review their stories; if any changes need to be made they can take place now…students will then utilize the computer lab to begin typing their stories in Microsoft work. Students will share final stories with classmates. Compile the students’ completed stories between two decorated tag board covers. Place the book in the classroom library for all to enjoy!

Chestnut Cove
A reading of Chestnut Cove written and illustrated by Tim Egan is the perfect springboard for a discussion about classroom cooperation. Ask students how they can foster cooperation in the classroom. Suggestions might include listening to everyone’s ideas, taking turns, and sharing of materials. Record the students’ responses on a large watermelon cutout. When the cutout is filled with students’ ideas, display it and the title “(teacher’s name) Cove- a Classroom of Cooperation on a classroom wall.

The Watermelon Patch
Divide students into groups (preferably 5 groups of 4). Give each group a watermelon (I get mine donated by a local grocery store), tape measure, pencil and paper. Explain to the students that they need to have a recorder and reporter within the group. He/She that has been elected to record will write down all the information that the group has talked about. The reporter will give the information back to the rest of the class. Discuss with children that watermelon can be round or oblong in shape. Ask students to gather ideas about the physical shape, size, and texture of their watermelon. Ask the students to estimate weight and perimeter of their watermelon. When all participants of each group have decided on the weight and perimeter of the watermelon, have the recorder write these down on a chart. The reporter of each group will report the estimations of their findings. Now, by taking turns each group will weigh their watermelon and write the actual weight on a chart that will be provided. The students will also measure around their melon with the tape measure to get an exact perimeter. The students will then chart the difference of the estimation to actual weight and measurements and come up with a difference.

Watermelon Seeds!
Explain to students that they are going to get a chance to count the total number of watermelon seeds in a given watermelon. Discuss the meaning of estimation to the class. Once the students are in their perspective groups ask them to write down their estimates. Now for the fun part! Give each student one Styrofoam cup. Tell the students that the seeds they gather from their slice of watermelon will be put in the Styrofoam cup. Teacher will cut each watermelon (one melon per group) enough for each person in the group to have a slice. Ask the students to begin eating the watermelon and spit each seed into the cup. When all the students have finished eating their slice of watermelon, there should be seeds in each cup. Before students begin to group their seeds, they need to wipe desktops. Now, ask students to dump their cups of seed over on their desktops. Begin counting. Once students have counted their seeds, ask someone from the group to write down the total. Now that every child from each group has totaled their seeds, it’s time to bring them together to determine the exact number of seeds in the whole watermelon. Ask one student from each group to write the number of seeds they counted on the board. While the elected member is doing this, have the students that are still seated to write these numbers on a piece of paper. To access the students, ask them to bring their totals to the teacher on a piece of paper. Teacher will then write the given answers on the board. Discuss with the children the answers given and correct any student that has made a mistake adding. The teacher will then demonstrate the addition procedure so that students can make their correction.

A Site to See!
Students will go to the computer lab and discuss with the teacher how they will find the top five producing watermelon states in the U.S. Give ideas on how they can find this information. After doing so, hand out a United States map. Working in pairs students will find each of these states using longitude and latitude. Explain to students that watermelon grow better in warmer climate compared to states that are colder. For example, South Dakota can not produce watermelon all year round, unlike Florida or other warm states. Ask students to compare the winter in Florida versus the winters in South Dakota. As a precursor, have students check the temperature in Florida and the community they live in. (http://www.watermelon.org) this site features information for the teacher, such as the history, nutritional facts, production, and consumption of watermelon, and watermelon handling tips. This site is a fun way to incorporate the computer into your watermelon unit.

How Does Your Watermelon Grow?
Watermelons grow best in hot climates and prefer sandy, irrigated soil. Florida, Georgia, California, Missouri, and Oklahoma lead the United States in watermelon harvest. (As they have discovered in the previous lesson). For fun cooperative-group activity, have students work together to create unique posters that advertise the watermelons from these states. Assign each of ten student groups a different state. Instruct each group to design a colorful poster that advertises the watermelons grown in its assigned state. Remind each group that its poster should persuade consumers to purchase its state’s watermelons over those grown in other states. Provide the groups with white poster board or tag board, construction paper, markers, and other poster-making supplies. Set aside time for each group to present its completed poster to the class; then display the mouthwatering projects in the school hallway or cafeteria for others to view.

Watermelon Day
Written by Kathi Appelt, illustrated by Dale Gottlieb
After hearing this story, there’s little doubt that the classroom of students will want to grow their own watermelons. Although watermelon seeds will not produce melons when grown indoors, they will yield attractive vines. Have each child label a clear plastic cup with his name, partially fill the cup with potting soil, and plant a watermelon seed in the soil. Next have each child water his seed and place his cup in a window or another sunny location. Discuss the feeling of anticipation that Jesse experienced in the story and invite students to talk about times when they have had similar feelings. Then, during the following weeks, have students water their seeds and measure the growth of their watermelon vines. If desired have students record their measurements, observations, and feeling of anticipation in watermelon-shaped journals.

You’re invited!
Tell the students that they are going to be writing their parents a letter inviting them to Open House Night and a watermelon feed. They are also going to inform the parents that they will be participating in a watermelon-spitting contest. Hand out paper and direct students to identify the heading of the letter. Make sure all students write the date. Continue through the letter writing process until the letter is complete. Remember to circulate around the room making sure letters are in proper structure. When the letter is complete, students will finish the assignment by typing their project in Word.

I plan this letter to be sent home prior to Open House Night. This is a great ice breaker when meeting you parents for the first time! I find this unit to be a wonderful way of beginning the school year, getting to know my students and making them feel comfortable, welcome, and excited about their third grade experience!