Seeds: Classroom lessons: Typicality: Typical seed totals: Seeds in Acorn Squash


The class began with the question: Does the size of an acorn squash determine the number of seeds inside?

To answer our class question, we decided what to measure in order to make our data collection consistent for all student groups, A-F. This table shows how we organized our data:

A
B
C
D
E
F
Length from tip to stem (on cut squash)
7"
7"
9"
6.5"
6"
6.5"
How big around
11"
12"
17"
12"
12"
13"
Number of bumps on squash
10
10
10
10
10
10
Weight
17 oz
18 oz
38 oz
16 oz
15 oz
20 oz
Lengthwise distance across interior space
3.5"
3"
4"
2.75"
2.5"
3"
Number of Seeds
371
275
203
233
257
275

 

Student comments and conclusions from these data included:

Kara stated that the largest squash had bigger seeds than the smaller squash had. There were more seeds in her squash than there was "gucky stuff" (meaning membranes inside the interior space). The seeds in her squash were smaller than those in the largest squash. Kara found that the size of seeds was a factor as well as the number of seeds. (Kara was in group A.)

Bert agreed that in his squash there were smaller seeds. He wanted to state that the smaller the squash, the smaller the seeds. The larger the squash, the larger the seeds.

Ariel felt that the chart showed her that the larger the squash, the fewer seeds. The smaller squash had more seeds than the larger squash. She compared groups C and E.

Maureen said that the class shouldn't say that the size of the squash determines the number of seeds because the grid doesn't show enough to say that. She did agree that maybe the size of the squash could determine the number of seeds though. You could expect more seeds in a smaller squash. The elongated squash had the most seeds. That was the squash that group A measured. Dante felt that size doesn't matter because there can be larger or smaller seeds inside as well as more or less squash.

Class findings:

--All squash had 10 bumps around them.

--The largest squash (in weight) had the least number of seeds in it.

--The smallest squash (measured in circumference) had the most seeds in it.

These were the only points the class could agree on as a whole. They couldn't come to a specific conclusion to answer their question based on the data collected. Students thought that an elongated squash would have more seeds than a rounder squash. Weight of the squash had no effect on the number of seeds. The children thought that there wasn't enough evidence to agree on an answer to the question. Basically, this experiment raised new questions for the students.


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