The Demise of a Halloween Pumpkin

A study in high energy/complex molecules vs. insects, nematodes, fungi, protozoan, bacteria, etc.

PROBLEM: How does the carving of a pumpkin affect it?

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The breakdown of complex molecules in our world is accomplished by the interaction of loving organisms such as insects, nematodes, fungi, protozoan, and bacteria.  Oxidation or the presence of oxygen causes chemical reactions that help to breakdown complex molecules.

HYPOTHESIS: If a pumpkin is carved and left sitting in the same environment as an uncarved pumpkin, then ___________________________________________________________________________________________.

EXPERIMENT:
    Materials Needed:

    Procedure:

  1. The control for this experiment will be the uncarved pumpkin.
  2. Find the mass of the pumpkin using the digital balance.
  3. Set the pumpkin in a short box and observe every other day.
  4. The carved pumpkin is the experimental factor or variable in this experiment.
  5. Carve the pumpkin into a desired shape.
  6. Find the mass of the carved pumpkin and record.
  7. Observe the carved pumpkin every other day and record any changes in the pumpkin.
  8. You should make your 20 log entries before school from 8:00 am until 8:45 am.  Time will not be take up in class for these individual observations.
  9. There may be opportunities in class to use microscopes to take a closer look at what is happening.

RESULTS: You will provide a scientific journal with the following items present:

  1. Using the computer lab, write a one page report on anything you can find out about pumpkins.
  2. Define the word demise.  Include the part of speech.  You will have to look this up in the student dictionary.  be sure to read all the definitions and use the one that would apply.  Write a sentence using demise correctly.
  3. Day one description in detail of the pumpkin.
  4. At least 20 log entries of observations using the following format:
    Day # ___________     Date _________________
    Observations (mass done once a week by the teacher, height, width, circumference, colors, smells, textures, physical states, sounds, etc.)
  5. At least four drawings of what you observe over time.
  6. Using the computer lab, research and write a one page report on the decomposition of complex molecules in living matter.
  7. Questions accompanying the experiment.
  8. Final day detailed descriptions.
  9. Suggestions for improving this activity.
  10. Your thoughts and reflections of this activity, including at least four things you learned or discovered about pumpkins and/or decomposition of complex molecules.  Must be in paragraph form, using correct grammar.
  11. Name on journal.
  12. Journal name written in black or blue ink.
  13. Colored illustrations on the journal cover with the title listed as the Problem.

CONCLUSION:

  1. Answer the questions provided on the attached worksheet.
  2. Write a correct conclusion in your journal.

This project will last until the winter holidays. Due date - Wednesday, December 15.  There are 39 school days until the due date.  That means an entry needs to be made at least every 2 school days in order to get 20 observations.  Do not procrastinate.  Extra points will be earned for making daily observations.
 

SOME QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT...

  1. Why does the carved pumpkin rot and breakdown?  (Give at least four specific reasons)
  2. Why does the uncarved pumpkin remain the same?
  3. How long do you think the uncarved pumpkin will remain intact and healthy?  Why?
  4. What is the rotting pumpkin changed into?  (think in terms of organisms and by-products)
  5. Where did the energy in the pumpkin originally come from?
  6. What two compounds were used to make over 98% of the pumpkin's mass?
  7. Name four food products that are made from pumpkins.
  8. Name four different ways that we preserve food.
  9. Explain, physiologically, how any two of the above (item #8) preserve food.
  10. Design a simple experiment that we could do with Halloween pumpkins.


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