Additional Resources: Pumpkins, Mazes
Are you a homeschooler or a parent who helps in your child’s (childrens’) educational progress? Congratulations! And welcome to Pumpkins, Mazes Knowledge Gateways page.
Here you will discover the wealth of practical knowledge contained within the pages of Pumpkins, Mazes. This free resource will help you to locate and reinforce those lessons woven throughout Pumpkins, Mazes which you’d like to help your young learners grasp more fully. (For a brief introduction to Pumpkins, Mazes, please visit the Pumpkins, Mazes home page)
An example of BioFables’ 5-tier knowledge category structure:
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- 1. Core Disciplines: Sciences, Humanities, Values/Behaviors
- 2. Knowledge Gateways (Color-coded examples: Earth/Space Science, History, Ethics/Morals)
- 3. Discovery Paths (Example: Geology, a Discovery Path of Earth/Space Science)
- 4. Discovery Path Branches (Example: Geysers, a Discovery Path Branch of Geology)
- 5. Knowledge Nuggets: Titles of specific mini- or pop-up lessons (Example: Geyser ingredients). You and your young readers likely will be most interested in Tier 5, Knowledge Nuggets. The 5-tier structure will be helpful in tracing lessons back through the earlier tiers to their learning origins.
- 4. Discovery Path Branches (Example: Geysers, a Discovery Path Branch of Geology)
- 3. Discovery Paths (Example: Geology, a Discovery Path of Earth/Space Science)
- 2. Knowledge Gateways (Color-coded examples: Earth/Space Science, History, Ethics/Morals)
- 1. Core Disciplines: Sciences, Humanities, Values/Behaviors
NOTE: Please be aware that category names in tiers 2-5 are unique to each book, using words that children would recognize (e.g. plants), rather than formal terminology (e.g. botany). The following lists and tables, of course, incorporate categories that specifically appear in Pumpkins, Mazes. They do not represent a complete list of categories within Sciences, Humanities and Values/Behaviors core disciplines.
Site Tips offers more insights into how you can use the tables, lists and other resources of this website to help you to help your children uncover the secrets of about 100 lessons scattered throughout each BioFables book.
The four sets of tables and lists on this page have been designed for you to help your children derive the greatest benefit from reading Pumpkins, Mazes:
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- Overview: Sciences, Humanities, Values/Behaviors
- Sciences content
- Humanities content
- Values/Behaviors content
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Pumpkins, Mazes by Chapter
TABLE 1, Pumpkins, Mazes is arranged chapter-by-chapter. It’s a good way to get a mental picture of the entire book, especially the chapter descriptions and links to additional resources (child-friendly links are in orange). This table incorporates the three Core Disciplines, their Knowledge Gateways and Discovery Paths.
The rows in the left column of the table, highlighted in light green, show the Chapter number and the chapter’s pages; following the highlighted row is a quick chapter overview and occasional resource links to relevant sites for further investigation (links to child-friendly sites are in orange).
The right column rows, highlighted in light green, show the chapter’s title. The chapter’s color-coded Knowledge Gateways, with their associated Discovery Paths, appear in the row beneath each chapter title.
TABLE 1. Pumpkins, Mazes by Chapter: Sciences, Humanities, Values/Behaviors
| CHAPTER NUMBER: Page Numbers |
CHAPTER TITLES |
| Brief Chapter Description; Resource Links | Knowledge Gateways; Discovery Paths |
| Helpful Hints |
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| This seventh BioFables expands on dimensions to learning developed in the first six books. Worldview is our new category, representing the “big picture.” |
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| Chapter 1: Pages 1-5 |
How Leaves Change Color in the Fall |
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It’s early October. Seven-year-old twins Melody and Mallory are eager to learn how the spectacular colors of northern Minnesota trees happen. If Grandpa Mike had done neat tricks as he piloted the family in the small airplane, that would have been pretty exciting as well. |
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| Chapter 2: Pages 6-9 | How Big Is an Acre? |
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Searching for the perfect pumpkin to decorate for the contest turns into a lesson on the size of an acre (hint: it’s more than just distance). |
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| Chapter 3: Pages 10-15 | An A-Mazing Afternoon |
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Look up, look down, use your powers of observation. A challenge for the Maloney family: finding their way through a network of paths created in a corn field. |
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| Chapter 4: Pages 16-17 | The Prettiest Pumpkin |
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Why are the judges of the pumpkin decorating contest awarding ribbons to very ordinary-looking creations? Melody and Mallory have very different reactions to the results of their efforts. |
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| Chapter 5: Pages 18-22 |
Grandpa’s Square Dance Surprise(s) |
| Grandpa Mike surprises both generations of his family. Melody and Mallory take them all in stride. Their parents? Well, it takes them a little longer, but they quickly adjust. |
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| Chapter 6: Pages 23-28 | An Unexpected Question |
| Learning to square dance, how the aurora borealis forms…and an “out of the mouths of babes” question that the twins’ parents probably wanted to ask but didn’t want to be impolite.
Learn about the Aurora Borealis
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| Chapter 7: Pages 29-35 | A House in the Woods |
| Enjoying Norwegian food, learning Norwegian spelling and pronunciation, getting lost in the woods and getting found by a Norwegian Elkhound. All part of a non-routine Saturday morning. |
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| Chapter 8: Pages 36-43 | Discovering the Language of Trees |
| How do trees “speak?” Not out loud, of course, unless you think of leaves rustling in the breeze. Observing trees and even their shadows can help find your way in a forest without a compass.
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| Chapter 9: Pages 44-50 | Learning a Bit about Bows and Arrows |
| Just a few of Chapter 9’s AHA! moments: understanding people; understanding nature; understanding some of the effects of gravity and how optical illusions can improve your fishing. Change in direction of light |
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| Chapter 10: Pages 51-53 |
Next Adventure: Thanksgiving Weekend |
| Thanksgiving is a time of sharing. The project the Maloneys and other volunteers are planning includes the active involvement of community members as well. What other major surprises does Grandpa Mike have THIS time? You’ll have to read Book 8 (in preparation) to find out. |
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The Core Disciplines in Pumpkins, Mazes LIST 1 are presented with their Knowledge Gateways and Discovery Paths (Tiers 1-3) in side-by-side columns. We’ve grouped each of the Knowledge Gateways and their Discovery Paths into Basic (foundational knowledge), Hybrid (relevant both to Basic and Applied Discovery Paths), and Applied (using basic or hybrid principles for practical, real-world purposes).
List 1. Pumpkins, Mazes Overview: SCIENCES, Humanities and Values/Behaviors
| SCIENCES | HUMANITIESS | VALUES/BEHAVIORS |
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BASIC
HYBRID
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BASIC
HYBRID
APPLIED
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BASIC
HYBRID
APPLIED
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The next three sets of lists and tables compile the Sciences, Humanities and Values/Behaviors content for the entire Pumpkins, Mazes book. Bulleted lists of Knowledge Gateways, with their associated Discovery Paths, offer a quick glance at category tiers 1-3 appearing in Pumpkins, Mazes. Their associated tables incorporate all 5 category tiers, including brief definitions of the Knowledge Gateways and instances of the specific Knowledge Nuggets (lessons) within each Core Discipline.
Pumpkins, Mazes SCIENCES Core Discipline
Pumpkins, Mazes List 2 is an at-a-glance bulleted list. It offers a quick look at the Science Knowledge Gateways in bold, followed by their Discovery Paths that appear in Pumpkins, Mazes.
Pumpkins, Mazes List 2. SCIENCES Knowledge Gateways and Discovery Paths
- Biology: Microbes/Bacteria; Plants; Animals
- Chemistry: Molecules
- Physics: Gravity; Optics
- Earth, Space Science: Astronomy; Geography
- Math: Meassurements
Pumpkins, Mazes Table 2 includes the major Sciences Knowledge Gateways (light green background) occurring in all the chapters of Pumpkins, Mazes.
LEFT COLUMN
KNOWLEDGE GATEWAYS appear in alphabetical order. The rows below each Knowledge Gateway name one or more of its associated Discovery Paths (indented); Discovery Path Branches, where they occur, are further indented below the Discovery Path. These categories represent increasingly-specific subjects.
RIGHT COLUMN
Brief definitions of each Science Knowledge Gateway help to recognize subjects related to the Gateway. Definitions of Discovery Paths that are split into more-detailed groups in the left column are identified by a yellow background. Knowledge Nuggets offer the most specific information or lessons.
Pumpkins, Mazes TABLE 2. SCIENCES Content
| KNOWLEDGE GATEWAYS |
Brief Definitions: Knowledge Gateways/Discovery Paths |
| Discovery Paths/Path Branches |
Discovery Path Branches; Knowledge Nuggets |
| BIOLOGY | Life and living things |
| Microbes/Bacteria | The twins learn that bacteria are everywhere; Mom explains that bacteria don’t have much to do with leaves changing color {Ch. 1, p. 3} |
| Plants | Dad explains how leaves change color in autumn {Ch. 1, pp. 3-4} |
| Aunt Inge adds sugar to the vase of cut flowers {Ch. 7, p. 30} | |
| Getting lost is easy when the trees seem to all look alike {Ch. 7, p. 33} | |
| Animals | Bjørn senses that his new doggie friend and the twins might be lost in the woods {Ch. 7, p. 35} |
| People who fish know that different seasons cause fish to behave differently {Ch. 9, p. 48} | |
| CHEMISTRY | Substances, their structure, behavior, interactions |
| Molecules | Chlorophyll is a pigment (color) that is present in all green plants {Ch. 1, pp. 3-4} |
| PHYSICS | Properties and nature of matter and energy |
| Optics | Light bends differently in air and water, so fish may not be where you think they are. This bending is known as the refractive index {Ch. 9, pp. 48-49} |
| Gravity | Arrows don’t have a mind of their own. It’s wind, gravity, and many other details that impact how they fly {Ch. 9, pp. 46-50} |
| EARTH, SPACE SCIENCE |
Related to planet Earth and beyond |
| Astronomy | Above Earth: space, planets and stars, the universe |
| Space weather | Eruptions of the sun send streams of charged particles (solar wind) to Earth, causing Northern Lights in the sky and geomagnetic storms that disturb’s Earth’s magnetic field {Ch. 6, p. 26} |
| Geography | Continents, countries, oceans and other waters, and their features |
| Northern Minnesota | Chillier weather and colorful trees arrive earlier about 400 miles north (“as the crow flies”) of the Chicago area, or about 470 miles if you drive {Helpful Hints} |
| MATH | Numbers, quantities and analysis |
| Measurement | The twins learn easy ways to estimate the area of an acre {Ch. 2, pp. 6-7} |
| TECHNOLOGY | Tools (products) and techniques using basic science |
| Physics (Optics) | Fishing {Ch. 9, pp. 48-49} |
| Physics (Gravity | Archery {Ch. 9, pp. 46-47} |
Pumpkins, Mazes HUMANITIES Gateway
Pumpkins, Mazes List 3 is an at-a-glance bulleted list. It offers a quick look at the Humanities Knowledge Gateways in bold, followed by their Discovery Paths that appear in Pumpkins, Mazes.
Pumpkins, Mazes LIST 3. Humanities Knowledge Gateways and Discovery Paths
- Society: Family Relationships; People Relationships
- Language: Play on Words; Sounds and Spellings; Word Meanings
- History: People
- Arts: Dance; Designing Things; Sports
- Worldview: Chance Encounters; Natural Environments; New Experiences; New People, Cultures
- Life Skills: Food, Cooking; Observing Surroundings; Outdoors Abilities
- Work, Careers: Air Force Pilot (retired); Explorer; Musician; Software Engineer
Pumpkins, Mazes TABLE 3 includes the major Humanities Knowledge Gateways (light green background) occurring in all the chapters of Pumpkins, Mazes.
The left column shows each Knowledge Gateway and one or more associated Discovery Paths. Discovery Path Branches, where they occur, appear indented below the major Discovery Path. These branches (and sometimes sub-branches) are divisions of the major Discovery Path; they represent increasingly-specific fields.
The right column offers brief definitions of each Humanities Knowledge Gateway. Following each Knowledge Gateway are Knowledge Nuggets (mini- or pop-up lessons). These lessons correspond to the Discovery Path and any Discovery Path Branches that appear directly across in the the left column.
Pumpkins, Mazes TABLE 3. HUMANITIES Content
| KNOWLEDGE GATEWAYS |
BRIEF DEFINITIONS: KNOWLEDGE GATEWAYS |
| Discovery Paths |
Discovery Path Branches; Knowledge Nuggets |
| LANGUAGE | Means of communication |
| Play on Words | Melody asks her brother if he wants Bambi stew {Ch. 5, p. 21} |
| The phrase memory lane reminds Melody of the word path {Ch. 9, p. 44} | |
| Sounds and Spelling | The name Bjørn is pronounced “Byorn” {Ch. 7, p. 32} |
| Word Meanings | Bjørn in Norwegian means bear, a good name for Norwegian Elkhound dogs, because their heads look like a bear’s head {Ch. 7, p. 32} |
| ARTS | Creative skills and their expression |
| Dancing | Melody and Mallory learn basic square dancing {Ch. 6, pp. 23-24} |
| Design | Melody and Mallory learn about watermarks (NOT the stains on the table from from your cold drinks) {Ch. 8, p. 40} |
| Sports | Archery is more than just trying to hit a bulls-eye with an arrow {Ch. 9, p. 47} |
| WORLD VIEW |
Collection of beliefs about life and the universe |
| Chance Encounters | When the timing is right… {Ch. 5, p. 20} |
| Different Natural Environments | Wild animals live differently in different climates and habitats {Ch. 9, p. 46} |
| New Experiences | Many family members taste venison stew for the first time {Ch. 5, pp. 20-21} |
| New People/Cultures | How you live and what you value depends on where you live {Ch. 9, pp. 44-46} |
| LIFE SKILLS | Practical abilities for attending to everyday needs |
| Food, Cooking | Geographic location influences people’s food preferences. {Helpful Hints; Ch. 5, p. 21; Ch. 9, p. 45} |
| Outdoors Abilities | Navigating by the sun is helpful, but what if it’s cloudy? {Ch. 2, p. 11; Ch. 8, p. 41} |
| Grandpa explains how “pointer” birds can help find your way {Ch. 3, p. 14} | |
| WORK/CAREERS; ROLE MODELS |
Productive activity to earn an income or give back to society |
| Air Force Pilot (retired) | Grandpa flies his family to Minnesota in a small plane {Ch. 1, pp. 1-2} |
| Explorer | Mallory hopes to be an explorer; he thinks walking a corn maze is a good learning experience; Grandpa supports Mallory’s dream {Ch. 3, pp. 10-12; Ch. 5, p. 21; Ch. 7, p. 33} |
| Musician | Musicians provide square dance fun {Ch. 6, pp. 23-25} |
| Software Engineer | Grandpa wrote software programs before becoming an Air Force pilot {Ch. 1, p. 2} |
Pumpkins, Mazes VALUES/BEHAVIORS Core Discipline
Pumpkins, Mazes LIST 4 is an at-a-glance bulleted list. It offers a quick look at the Self Knowledge Gateways in bold, followed by their Discovery Paths that appear in Pumpkins, Mazes.
Pumpkins, Mazes LIST 4. Values/Behaviors Discovery Paths and Knowledge Branches
- Morals/Ethics: Following Rules of a Game
- Emotions: Disappointment; Embarrassment; Enjoyment/Leisure; Self-Satisfaction
- Mind:
- Body: Healthy Aging; Balance/Stability
- Learning/Knowledge/Skills: Acquiring Knowledge; Sharing Knowledge
- People: Respect; Generosity; Helping with Chores; Friendly Atmosphere; Hospitality
- Planet: Research; Pollution; Reduce, Re-Use, Recycle
Pumpkins, Mazes TABLE 4 includes the major Values/Behaviors Knowledge Gateways (light green background) occurring in all the chapters of Pumpkins, Mazes.
The left column shows each Knowledge Gateway and one or more associated Discovery Paths. Discovery Path Branches, where they occur, appear indented below the major Discovery Path. These branches (and sometimes sub-branches) are divisions of the major Discovery Path; they represent increasingly-specific fields.
The right column offers brief definitions of each Values/Behaviors Knowledge Gateway. Following each Knowledge Gateway are Knowledge Nuggets (mini- or pop-up lessons). These lessons correspond to the Discovery Path and any Discovery Path Branches that appear directly across in the the left column.
Pumpkins, Mazes TABLE 4. VALUES/BEHAVIORS Content
| BRANCHES/SUB-BRANCHES | DEFINITIONS; SUBJECTS AND TOPICS |
| ETHICS/MORALS |
Internal character, beliefs |
| Following Rules of a Game | Corn maze “passport stations” encourage keeping to the path {Ch. 3, pp. 12, 14} |
| Using insights developed during a game is smart, not cheating {Ch. 3, pp. 11-12} | |
| EMOTIONS | Feelings, sentiment, intuition |
| Enjoyment/Leisure | Melody and Mallory agree that a full-size corn maze would be much more fun than a children’s maze with low hedges {Ch. 3, p. 10} |
| Disappointment | Melody is unhappy because a wind blew away all her pumpkin’s glitter before the judges came by {Ch. 4, pp. 16-17} |
| Self-Satisfaction | Mallory says he designed his pumpkin for himself and the family, not for the judges {Ch. 4, pp. 16-17} |
| Worry | Grandpa is nervous about introducing his new friend to his family {Ch. 5, p. 19} |
| Embarrassment | Mom says Melody’s question (“Out of the mouths of babes”) is impolite; Grandpa doesn’t think so {Ch. 6, p. 27} |
| MIND/MENTAL PROCESSES |
Rational, theoretical, analytical thinking |
| Visualization/Imagination | Melody and Mallory demonstrate very different pumpkin designs {Ch. 2, pp. 8-9} |
| Reasoning | Maze “passport” and path clues help find the right direction {Ch. 3, pp. 10-13} |
| Observation | Melody reads the labels in front of each dish at the buffet table {Ch. 5, p. 20} |
| Self-Awareness | Grandpa realizes that Mallory learned new things about Inge in a few minutes that he didn’t know after a few months {Ch. 5, p. 22} |
| BODY/PHYSICAL BEING |
Health, bodily strengh and movement |
| Physical Health | Grandpa Mike enjoys good eyesight after cataract removal {Ch. 1, p. 2} |
| Mom reminds everyone to carry a supply of food and water {Ch. 3, p. 10} | |
| LEARNING/KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS |
Pursuit and acquisition of understanding, wisdom, capabilities |
| Openness/Flexibility | Grandpa advises the twins that details and the “big picture” are important in solving problems {Ch. 3, p. 12} |
| Sharing Knowledge | Melody and Mallory teach new friends the square dance steps they just learned {Ch. 6, p. 24} |
| Aunt Inge talks about understanding people and nature {Ch. 9, pp. 45-46, 50} | |
| PEOPLE | Regard for, and relationships with, humankind |
| Respect | Melody asks if she and her brother can address Grandpa’s friend as “Aunt” as they do with close family friends {Ch. 5, p. 19} |
| Making Introductions | Grandpa introduces his friend and tells how they met {Ch. 5, p. 19} |
| Parental Responsibility | Mom reminds Mallory “Waste Not, Want Not” as they approach a buffet table filled with all sorts of appetizing foods {Ch. 5, p. 20} |
| Grandpa and the twins’ parents give examples of how to pay attention to what a forest is “telling” you {Ch. 8, pp. 36-39, 42} | |
| Asking for Help | Mallory doesn’t want to risk dripping food at the buffet table {Ch. 5, p. 21} |
| Helpfulness | Aunt Inge comes to Mallory’s rescue at the buffet table {Ch. 5, p. 21} |
| Friendly Manner | Aunt Inge talks about her bow hunting experiences {Ch. 9, pp. 44, 46-50} |
| Aunt Inge suggests everyone share portions of their food so others can enjoy many different tastes {Ch. 5, p. 21} | |
| Hospitality | Aunt Inge invites Grandpa’s family to her home for an authentic Norwegian breakfast {Ch. 6, p. 27} |
| Mom brings flowers to Aunt Inge when they visit her home {Ch. 7, p. 30} | |
| Community Involvement | Thanksgiving weekend (Book 8) brings brings meals, games, fundraising, volunteer work and more surprises {Ch. 10, p. 51-52} |
| PLANET/BIOSPHERE | Earth’s natural environment: living organisms, water, surface, subsurface, atmosphere |
| Respect for Earth, All its Life | Aunt Inge lives what she teaches the Maloney family about responding to a variety of people and practices, animals and their needs {Ch. 9} |
For an overview of Pumpkins, Mazes please visit the Pumpkins, Mazes home page. If you are ready to buy , please click on the icon to go to Barnes and Noble’s Pumpkins, Mazes page.