Reinforcing STEAM curriculum, second-graders at Commack Road used scientific and mathematical skills to guess how many seeds were in their pumpkins on Oct. 31.

In the morning, the students selected gourds outside, supplied by Commack Road’s PTA. The second-graders then used their pumpkins to make predictions on how many seeds they contained, based on the pumpkins’ weight, height and circumference; whether they sank or floated; and how many lines each pumpkin had on its surface. They then counted out how many pumpkin seeds were in each pumpkin and checked their original estimates.

“The children really loved this, and many of them said it was the best day ever,” said second-grade special education teacher Taylor Kruger. “It was a great change of routine for them, especially on Halloween, and we thank the PTA and Principal McCarthy for organizing and setting up such a fun-filled day.”