Anyone hearing loud noises in the science hall Tuesday might have had good reason to be alarmed – until they looked at the calendar and realized it was Halloween and that meant exploding pumpkins in chemistry class. For the third year, teacher Kristine Lenamond and her students spent some time prepping and then exploding pumpkins to show chemical reactions. Student groups chose pumpkins and spent class last Friday cleaning them inside and out. On Monday they carved designs into the pumpkins and on Tuesday, they blew their artwork up.  

 “Carving the pumpkin was tricky and kind of hard but I am glad we were in groups so we didn’t have to work alone,” Emmanuel Renteria said. “My least favorite part was having to take the pulp out of the pumpkin; it was so slimy.” 

 Sophomore Jakendrick Robinson carved his pumpkin as a skull. He said he liked the experiment because it was a hands-on learning experience and not just reading and writing about it. He also said he learned new things; for example, he did not know that a pumpkin would mold after it was cut.  

 “My favorite part of the whole project was probably when I was holding the lid close and it caught on fire after it exploded,” Robinson said. “I am glad we did this project and hope we have another like it in the future.” 

 Lenamond said she likes doing this project with the students because it is a fun activity and they get to learn something new along with it. It is also a way for students who have never carved a pumpkin to do it in a fun and educational way. She hopes to keep doing this project in the years to come.  

 “I like giving my students an opportunity to have a hands-on activity instead of doing paperwork,” Lenamond said. “Carving pumpkins was a fun extra for the project before we blew them up.”