A group of Grade 3 and Grade 6 students teamed up to create something truly unique: full-bodied pumpkin characters that popped up all around the school!
From mummies to Minecraft creepers to Princess Peach, each pumpkin person showed off a mix of imagination, teamwork, and problem-solving.
We caught up with Grade 3 teacher Heather Muir to hear more about the project — and what she learned along the way.
What kinds of conversations did you have with parents and students while they were planning or assembling their creations?
We started by sharing visuals at Meet the Teacher night so families could picture what we were aiming for. Students looked at the same examples and even more images of designs with pumpkin heads.
Each student received a design booklet to brainstorm a few ideas, then sat down with their Grade 6 buddy to choose one together. Once they decided, they planned it out on paper by sketching, labeling materials, and talking through what they might need.
How did families respond to being part of the project?
I didn’t hear a ton of direct feedback, but one family shared how challenging it was to get their pumpkin person to stand up! They ended up spending the weekend building a stable frame and then brought it to school to assemble with their Grade 3 buddy.
Early on, parents needed a bit of guidance about materials — but once we talked about reusing things like yogurt containers and sturdy cardboard, it clicked.
How does this connect to your Grade 3 curriculum?
Originally, we saw it mainly through an ADST lens, learning how to design, test, and problem-solve. When something didn’t work, we asked, “What do we need to make it work?”
But after reflecting, I love the idea of adding storytelling next year, giving each pumpkin a back story. Paul (the Grade 6 teacher) and I thought we could even tie it to Christian Education — maybe having a saints focus, where students research a saint and create a story or reflection card to go with their figure.
What core competencies came to life through this project?
Definitely communication — it’s our school’s term one goal. Students had to learn how to express themselves when something wasn’t working, how to appreciate others’ ideas, and how to find common ground with their buddies. Really, though, it touched on all the core competencies: thinking, personal, social, and collaboration — every one of them was in play.
What surprised you most about the designs?
The first time a student brought in a sturdy frame, I thought, “They got it!” It was so simple. A Tide Pod container, a broomstick, and a second stick for arms worked well. A pot full of rocks was great to act as a heavy base for a free-standing structure.
Others got creative in the Learning Commons, researching robot designs for inspiration. The Minecraft pumpkins were a big hit: square heads, pixel faces, even a creeper with carved side panels. Someone even carved Princess Peach into their pumpkin!
A witch, Princess Peach and a Creeper!
What was the greatest challenge?
Getting a stable base. You could really tell which students had gone home and talked things through with their parents or took extra time gathering materials. I thought we might run into issues about who got to keep the pumpkin afterward, but everyone seemed happy with how things turned out.
What advice would you give to other teachers?
Make sure parents understand the plan early. The more supplies they can provide, the better! Have lots of glue guns, duct tape, and adults on hand. We had six helpers, and every one of them was busy!
Trash to Treasure 🚮
Laura Kampf is a German maker and artist who turns old junk into awesome new inventions. In this video, she builds a funny but smart machine to teach her dog not to mess with rattlesnakes— using a real rattlesnake rattle! It’s a great example of creativity, problem solving, and ADST skills in action.