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How to find reliable sources while researching a topic, grades 3-5

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How to find reliable sources while researching a topic, grades 3-5

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VIDEO directions for today's padlet assignment

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VIDEO directions for today's padlet assignment

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A. Think, IV. CURATE, Learners act on an information need by: 3. Making critical choices about information sources to use.

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A. Think, IV. CURATE, Learners act on an information need by: 3. Making critical choices about information sources to use.

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AASL Learner Standards

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How do you know if you are using a reliable source? Do all sites have correct and helpful information?

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How do you know if you are using a reliable source? Do all sites have correct and helpful information?

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BrainPOP VIDEO about finding reliable sources

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BrainPOP VIDEO about finding reliable sources

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FLOWCHART to help understand websites as a reliable source

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FLOWCHART to help understand websites as a reliable source

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Teaching Without Frills- Writing Videos for Kids: How to Evaluate Sources for Reliability https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1k8rcYUmbQ

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VIDEO about evaluating sources for reliability

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VIDEO about evaluating sources for reliability

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How to Evaluate Sources for Reliability - Writing for Kids

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Travis Gienger won the 2022 pumpkin weigh-off contest in Half Moon Bay, CA (Credit: Miramar Events)

October is pumpkin season in America. For most people, this means eating delicious pumpkin-filled treats or visiting pumpkin patches to pick out the perfect fruit for Halloween. But for pumpkin farmers, it is a chance to showcase their giant produce at pumpkin weigh-offs. Though various such contests are held countrywide, the "Super Bowl" of pumpkin weigh-offs takes place in Half Moon Bay, CA.

The competition, which marked its 49th year on October 10, 2022, has always been popular with master pumpkin growers. However, it has become even more so since the top prize was increased to $30,000 in 2015. To claim the "World Record Prize," contestants must submit a "World Record Pumpkin." This year, that meant a gourd heavier than the massive 2,703-pound pumpkin that set a new world record in Italy in late September 2021. If the heaviest pumpkin weighs less, the owner receives $9 per pound.

Gienger's pumpkin set a new American record (Credit: Miramar Events)

This year's winner, a 2,560-pound gourd - nicknamed "Maverick" - was submitted by Travis Gienger from Anoka, MN. Though not a world record contender, it did outweigh the American record holder - a 2,554-pound squash - by six pounds!

The horticulture teacher from Anoka, MN, planted the fruit in April and spent almost six months carefully nurturing its growth. Gienger's daily care routine included fertilizing the soil, checking for roots, and watering the pumpkin. He covered the fruit in plastic during heavy rain and provided shade on hot days. Gienger's efforts were rewarded with a cash prize of $23,040 ($9 a pound)!

Gienger"s "Tiger King" jack-o-lantern is a Guinness World Record holder (Credit: Guinness World Records)

The competition's runner-up, Steve Daletas, took home $3,000 with his 2,425-pound entry, while third-place winner Ruben Frias received $2,500 for his 2,118-pound gourd. Other titles included the largest Coastside pumpkin, largest California pumpkin, and most beautiful pumpkin. The winners of each title won $1,000.

This is not Gienger's first time entering - and winning - the competition. In 2020, his 2,350-pound pumpkin also took first place. The 42-year-old then carved this pumpkin - nicknamed "Tiger King" - to earn the Guinness World Record for the largest jack-o-lantern by circumference. Gienger now plans to carve "Maverick" and break his own record.

Resources: miramarevents.com, USAtoday.com, Npr.com

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2,560-Pound Pumpkin Sets New American Record At Half Moon Bay Competition

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October is pumpkin season in America. For most people, this means eating delicious pumpkin-filled treats or visiting pumpkin patches to pick out the perfect fruit for Halloween. But for pumpkin farmers, it is a chance to showcase their giant produce at pumpkin weigh-offs.

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A pumpkin is a gourd. They are usually orange, but they can also be white. Pumpkins are spheres or stretched-out spheres.

It also has a few noted medicinal use, which are traditionally used in India.

In New Zealand and Australian English, the term pumpkin generally refers to the broader category called winter squash elsewhere.

Description

Traditional C. pepo pumpkins generally weigh between 3 and 8 kilograms (6 and 18 lb), though the largest cultivars (of the species C. maxima) regularly reach weights of over 34 kg (75 lb).

The color of pumpkins derives from orange carotenoid pigments, including beta-cryptoxanthin, alpha and beta carotene, all of which are provitamin A compounds converted to vitamin A in the body.

All pumpkins are winter squash: mature fruit of certain species in the genus . Characteristics commonly used to define "pumpkin" include smooth and slightly ribbed skin, and deep yellow to orange color. Circa 2005, white pumpkins had become increasingly popular in the United States. Other colors, including dark green (as with some oilseed pumpkins), also exist.

Cultivation

Pumpkins are grown all around the world for a variety of reasons ranging from agricultural purposes (such as animal feed) to commercial and ornamental sales. Of the seven continents, only Antarctica is unable to produce pumpkins. The traditional American pumpkin used for jack-o-lanterns is the Connecticut Field variety.

Production

In 2017, world production of pumpkins (including squash and gourds) was 27 million tonnes, with China and India accounting for 47% of the total. Russia, Ukraine, and the United States each had production of about one million tonnes.

In the United States

As one of the most popular crops in the United States, in 2017 over 680,000,000 kilograms (1.5 billion pounds) of pumpkins were produced. The top pumpkin-producing states include Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and California.

According to the Illinois Department of Agriculture, 95% of the U.S. crop intended for processing is grown in Illinois. Nestlé, operating under the brand name Libby's, produces 85% of the processed pumpkin in the United States, at their plant in Morton, Illinois. In the fall of 2009, rain in Illinois devastated the Nestlé crop, which combined with a relatively weak 2008 crop depleting that year's reserves resulted in a shortage affecting the entire country during the Thanksgiving holiday season. Another shortage, somewhat less severe, affected the 2015 crop. The pumpkin crop grown in the western United States, which constitutes approximately 3-4% of the national crop, is primarily for the organic market.

Pumpkins are a warm-weather crop that is usually planted in early July. The specific conditions necessary for growing pumpkins require that soil temperatures 8 centimetres (3 in) deep are at least 15.5 °C (60 °F) and that the soil holds water well. Pumpkin crops may suffer if there is a lack of water or because of cold temperatures (in this case, below 18 °C or 65 °F; frost can be detrimental), and sandy soil with poor water retention or poorly drained soils that become waterlogged after heavy rain. Pumpkins are, however, rather hardy, and even if many leaves and portions of the vine are removed or damaged, the plant can very quickly re-grow secondary vines to replace what was removed.

Pumpkins produce both a male and female flower; they must be fertilized, usually by bees. Pumpkins have historically been pollinated by the native squash bee Peponapis pruinosa, but this bee has declined, probably at least in part to pesticide (imidacloprid) sensitivity. Ground-based bees such as squash bees and the eastern bumblebee are better suited to handle the larger pollen particles that pumpkins create, but today most commercial plantings are pollinated by hives of honeybees, which also allows the production and sale of honey that the bees produce from the pumpkin pollen. One hive per acre (4,000 m ² per hive, or 5 hives per 2 hectares) is recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. If there are inadequate bees for pollination, gardeners often have to hand pollinate. Inadequately pollinated pumpkins usually start growing but abort before full development.

Giant pumpkins

"Giant pumpkins" are a large squash (within the group of common squash Cucurbita maxima) that can exceed 1 tonne in weight. The variety arose from the large squash of South America through the efforts of botanical societies and enthusiast farmers.

In a 100-gram amount, raw pumpkin provides 110 kilojoules (26 kilocalories) of food energy and is an excellent source (20% or more the Daily Value, DV) of provitamin A beta-carotene and vitamin A (53% DV) (table). Vitamin C is present in moderate content (11% DV), but no other nutrients are in significant amounts (less than 10% DV, table). Pumpkin is 92% water, 6.5% carbohydrate, 0.1% fat and 1% protein (table).

Pumpkins are very versatile in their uses for cooking. Most parts of the pumpkin are edible, including the fleshy shell, the seeds, the leaves, and even the flowers. In the United States and Canada, pumpkin is a popular Halloween and Thanksgiving staple. Pumpkin purée is sometimes prepared and frozen for later use.

Pumpkins that are still small and green may be eaten in the same way as squash or zucchini. In the Middle East, pumpkin is used for sweet dishes; a well-known sweet delicacy is called halawa yaqtin. In the Indian subcontinent, pumpkin is cooked with butter, sugar, and spices in a dish called kadu ka halwa. Pumpkin is used to make sambar in Udupi cuisine. In Guangxi province, China, the leaves of the pumpkin plant are consumed as a cooked vegetable or in soups. In Australia and New Zealand, pumpkin is often roasted in conjunction with other vegetables. In Japan, small pumpkins are served in savory dishes, including tempura. In Myanmar, pumpkins are used in both cooking and desserts (candied). The seeds are a popular sunflower seed substitute. In Thailand, small pumpkins are steamed with custard inside and served as a dessert. In Vietnam, pumpkins are commonly cooked in soups with pork or shrimp. In Italy, it can be used with cheeses as a savory stuffing for ravioli. Also, pumpkin can be used to flavor both alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages.

In the southwestern United States and Mexico, pumpkin and squash flowers are a popular and widely available food item. They may be used to garnish dishes, and they may be dredged in a batter then fried in oil. Pumpkin leaves are a popular vegetable in the Western and central regions of Kenya; they are called seveve, and are an ingredient of mukimo, respectively, whereas the pumpkin itself is usually boiled or steamed. The seeds are popular with children who roast them on a pan before eating them. Pumpkin leaves are also eaten in Zambia, where they are called chibwabwa and are boiled and cooked with groundnut paste as a side dish.

Other than the traditionally defined pumpkin, commercially canned "pumpkin" purée and pumpkin pie fillings may contain other winter squashes, such as butternut squash.

Pumpkin leaves, usually of C. moschata varieties, are eaten as a vegetable in Korean cuisine.

In various parts of India and Madheshis prepare saag and kachri/pakoda of the leaves and flowers.

Pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, are edible and nutrient-rich. They are about 1.5 cm (0.5 in) long, flat, asymmetrically oval, light green in color and usually covered by a white husk, although some pumpkin varieties produce seeds without them. Pumpkin seeds are a popular snack that can be found hulled or semi-hulled at most grocery stores. Per ounce serving, pumpkin seeds are a good source of protein, magnesium, copper and zinc.

Pumpkin seed oil

Pumpkin seed oil, a thick oil pressed from roasted pumpkin seeds, appears red or green in color depending on the oil layer thickness, container properties and hue shift of the observer's vision. When used for cooking or as a salad dressing, pumpkin seed oil is generally mixed with other oils because of its robust flavor. Pumpkin seed oil contains fatty acids, such as oleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid.

Raw pumpkin can be fed to poultry, as a supplement to regular feed, during the winter to help maintain egg production, which usually drops off during the cold months.

Pumpkins have been used as folk medicine by Native Americans to treat intestinal worms and urinary ailments, and this Native American remedy was adopted by American doctors in the early nineteenth century as an anthelmintic for the expulsion of worms.Template:Qualify evidence In Germany and southeastern Europe, seeds of C. pepo were also used as folk remedies to treat irritable bladder and benign prostatic hyperplasia.Template:Qualify evidence In China, C. moschata seeds were also used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of the parasitic disease schistosomiasis and for the expulsion of tape worms.Template:Qualify evidence Chinese studies have found that a combination of pumpkin seed and areca nut extracts was effective in the expulsion of Taenia spp. tapeworms in over 89% of cases.

Pumpkins are commonly carved into decorative lanterns called jack-o'-lanterns for the Halloween season. Traditionally Britain and Ireland would carve lanterns from vegetables, particularly the turnip, mangelwurzel, or swede, they continue to be popular choices today as carved lanterns in Scotland and Northern Ireland, although the British purchased a million pumpkins for Halloween in 2004.

The practice of carving pumpkins for Halloween originated from an Irish myth about a man named " Stingy Jack". The turnip has traditionally been used in Ireland and Scotland at Halloween, but immigrants to North America used the native pumpkin, which are both readily available and much larger - making them easier to carve than turnips. Not until 1837, does jack-o'-lantern appear as a term for a carved vegetable lantern, and the carved pumpkin lantern association with Halloween is recorded in 1866.

In the United States, the carved pumpkin was first associated with the harvest season in general, long before it became an emblem of Halloween. In 1900, an article on Thanksgiving entertaining recommended a lit jack-o'-lantern as part of the festivities that encourage kids and families to join together to make their own jack-o'-lanterns.

Pumpkin festivals and competitions

"Giant pumpkins" are orange variants of the giant squash, Cucurbita maxima. Growers of these "pumpkins" often compete to see whose pumpkins are the most massive. Festivals are often dedicated to the pumpkin and these competitions.

The record for the world's heaviest pumpkin, 1,190.5 kg (2,624.6 lb), was established in Belgium in 2016.

In the United States, the town of Half Moon Bay, California, holds an annual Art and Pumpkin Festival, including the World Champion Pumpkin Weigh-Off.

Folklore and fiction

There is a connection in folklore and popular culture between pumpkins and the supernatural, such as:

A commonplace motif of people being turned into pumpkins by witches.

The jack-o-lantern custom derives from Halloween folklore to ward off imaginary demons.

In the folk tale Cinderella, the fairy godmother turns a pumpkin into a carriage, but at midnight it reverts to a pumpkin.

In some iterations of the folk tale The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, the headless horseman is said to use a pumpkin as a substitute head.

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A pumpkin is a gourd. They are usually orange, but they can also be white. Pumpkins are spheres or stretched-out spheres. It also has a few noted medicinal use, which are traditionally used in India. In New Zealand and Australian English, the term pumpkin generally refers to the broader category called winter squash elsewhere.

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Table of Contents

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pumpkin, fruit of certain varieties of squash-such as varieties of Cucurbita pepo, C. moschata, and C. maxima-in the gourd family ( Cucurbitaceae), usually characterized by a hard orange rind with distinctive grooves. Pumpkins are commonly grown for human consumption, for decoration, and also for livestock feed.

Physical description

Pumpkins, which produce very long annual vines, are planted individually or in twos or threes on little hills about 2.5 to 3 metres (8 to 10 feet) apart. Botanically, pumpkin fruits are a type of berry known as a pepo. They are generally large, 4-8 kg (9-18 pounds) or more, though some varieties are very small. The largest pumpkins are varieties of C. maxima and may weigh 34 kg (75 pounds) or more; the most massive pumpkins ever grown have exceeded 907 kg (2,000 pounds). Pumpkins are often yellowish to orange in colour, and they vary from oblate to globular to oblong; some feature a white rind. The rind is smooth and usually lightly furrowed or ribbed. The fruit stem is hard and woody, ridged, and angled. The fruits mature in early autumn and can be stored for a few months in a dry place well above freezing temperatures.

Major species and uses

In Europe and South America, pumpkin is mainly served as a vegetable and used interchangeably with other winter squashes. In the United States and Canada, pumpkin pie is a traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas dessert. Canned pumpkin is commonly made from C. moschata and may be mixed with other winter squashes, such as butternut squash (also C. moschata).

Pumpkins are popular autumn decorations, especially C. pepo, the common field pumpkin. In some places, pumpkins are used as Halloween decorations known as jack-o'-lanterns, in which the interior of the pumpkin is cleaned out and a light is inserted to shine through a face carved in the wall of the fruit.

The seeds of all pumpkin species are edible and are commonly roasted. In the United States they are known as pepitas.

Some varieties of C. argyrosperma are also known as pumpkins.

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The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Melissa Petruzzello.

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pumpkin | Description, Plant, Types, Scientific Name, & Facts

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pumpkin, fruit of certain varieties of squash-such as varieties of Cucurbita pepo, C. moschata, and C. maxima-in the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae), usually characterized by a hard orange rind with distinctive grooves. Pumpkins are commonly grown for human consumption, for decoration, and also for livestock feed.