Gourds Go to School! Or, An Absurdly Unexpected Way to Bring Wonder, Creativity, and Curiosity to Your Curriculum

This is a guest article written by Ann Kumpf, educator at Cambridge School.

Looking for something to take learning to new heights? I have just the thing - Gourds!

As an educator, I’m always on the lookout for things that

1. get students excited about learning,

2. create an eagerness to learn more, and

3. Create opportunities for students to embody what they are learning.

I accidently discovered one thing that encompasses all those goals on a visit to Ithaca a few years ago. I have been slowly incorporating this unlikely medium to Cambridge School over the last several years. I will share some of the whys, the hows, and the challenges of bringing this dream to life so, you too, can bring this educational resource to your school!

Had it not been for a coupon for Ithaca Loves Teachers Week, I would not know anything about gourds or Gourdlandia. Little did I know, it would change the course of my life! Dramatic, but true!

As Graham Ottoson, owner of Gourlandia, enthusiastically gave a brief overview of gourds and how to make things with them, I immediately thought of my school curriculum which covers everything in history, from Creation to current events. The gourd would be a perfect thread to weave throughout learning due to its longstanding presence and its use by so many people groups on so many continents! Not only have gourds been used for practical things like carrying water and fishing, but also more creatively as musical instruments of many varieties, for artistic expression and so much more.

So, without much ado I proposed a gourd garden to my head of school and the gourd journey at Cambridge was underway. Growing gourds has had a learning curve but don’t be intimidated to start a gourd garden at your school.

You can read more about the specifics about growing gourds here.

Here are a few things I have learned along the way:

• Gourds grab everyone’s attention and imagination! I have never met a student or teacher who isn’t immediately curious or drawn to gourds

• A trellis creates some wow factor! Walking by a trellis with gourds hanging down is nothing short of magical. Students will be drawn to this living “I Spy” activity. This works best for medium to small gourd varieties.

• Keep gourds everywhere in the classroom environment. I have gourd bowls as planters, a gourd basket for magazines, a shekere on my bookshelf and gourds of all shapes and sizes in my “cabinet of curiosities.” Touching is not only allowed, but encouraged. Often when students visit my classroom, I hear, “Is that a gourd?? Cool!” “Is that real?”

• There are ENDLESS intersections of gourds and learning. Science is an easy overlap because students can learn about seeds, pollinating, scientific nomenclature (Lagenaria siceraria), growing, and gardening, etc. Though this is the easiest connection, there are many other ways to incorporate gourds in learning. For example, we have used gourds to create musical instruments in the African and South American units. Students made Ming vases using bottle gourds in art class. (Once you learn about gourds in art, you won’t stop seeing gourd-inspired shapes in paintings, sculptures and ceramics throughout history!) A gourd was buried with our mummified chicken by third graders studying ancient Egypt. Did you know gourds were found amongst the treasures of Egyptian tombs? Imagine the delight of first graders who patiently watched gourds drying over the fall and winter and then got to make bird houses during their spring bird unit! (Many tutorials exist on how to drill holes and what size to make them.) Seventh graders studying the Underground Railroad held a ladle made from a dipper gourd as they learned how escaped slaves “followed the drinking gourd.”

•  Gourds offer deep and storied cultural connections across diverse populations. They cultivate conversations and connections for many cultural identities. This makes them a unique material that can both educate and create a sense of belonging.

• Gourds can become anything! Because I have become known as the “Gourd lady” at my school, I have taken it as a personal challenge to include a gourd in every lesson I teach. Since gourds transform from a moldy mess to a thing of beauty full of life and opportunity, lots of character lessons can unfold. A small dipper gourd makes a great talking stick. My thunder gourd had a supporting role in the past two Shakespeare plays put on by our Fifth graders. And in case you were curious, you can make a Christmas elf hat out of a gourd, with just a little passion, paint, and a fluffy pom-pom! I frequently lead Chapel at my school and have included gourds to be broken vessels, a shepherd’s staff and a basket for Moses. There is NO end to the possibilities, both physically and metaphorically!

• Gourds spark creativity and wonder. Countless studies present research about the power of wonder to foster attention, boost mood, grow resilience and even improve academic outcomes. The unassuming gourd holds a lot of power through its ability to create opportunities for wonder.

• You must have a long game approach.

  • Due to the nature of growing and drying gourds, it takes over a year to get usable gourds for projects. It can be hard for children (and teachers) to wait to see the fruit of your labor. But you can supplement with some purchased gourds in the meantime.

  • It takes buy-in from administrators and staff to get the program up and running. But, take heart, once they see a gourd and what you can do with it, they will most likely be on board.

  • Some obstacles I have run across are finding help to water and tend the garden during summer, critters ruining plants and affecting yield, and low yields on plants. However, all of these have improved over time and experience. It may be helpful to create a Gourd-en Club (Gourd puns are a must when gourding!) where students and parents take turns tending the garden during summer months.

  • Start small and grow from there. My first year I planted a lot of gourd plants and didn’t get a great yield. Last year I scaled down and had better success.

  • Small varieties like Tennessee Spinner and Egg produce an abundant harvest and bring delight to students, big and small.

Much like the assortment of gourd shapes and sizes, the range of what you can do with them is vast and varied. From the tiny Tennessee Spinner to the ginormous African Drum gourd, the gourd offers unending lessons of wonder and joy, hardship and perseverance drawing rapt attention and curiosity and moving every heart and soul that encounters them. So, come explore the absurdly unexpected gourd to bring Wonder, Creativity, and Curiosity to Your Curriculum.

These are just a few of my learnings in our first few years of developing a gourd program on our campus. I would love to answer any questions or share my experience with you if you are considering bringing gourds to your school. My information is below. I look forward to talking to you!

Ann Kumpf

Email: annkumpf@gmail.com

IG: @goskippingstones