First Grade Unit: SUPPLEMENTAL ACTIVITIES

Engage: SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY, SING, MATCH GAMES, STORY TIME, ART, CARDS

SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

1. In the classroom, ask students to write down (or otherwise record as a group) as many questions as they can think of in 15 minutes about farms and farm animals – anything at all that has been on their mind since beginning the unit.

2. Once they have done this, go through the list together and choose a set of questions that they think they might actually be able to find out answers to if they visited a real farm.

3. Student pairs or teams write down one question that is simple enough to answer through direct observation in a short amount of time.

4. When at the farm, students compare what they expected with what they see. They might have questions for the farm manager about that they saw versus what they expected. At the farm, students take other general notes about things they observe in terms of behavior, characteristics or other state-specific topics. These other observations might lead to further questions. Include in the discussion how animals' needs are similar to (and seemingly different from) our own human needs. For example, discuss: growth and change, movement, and physical characteristics. (See your individual state standards for most appropriate subtopics in this discussion. )

5. Upon returning to the classroom, students write up or present what they saw versus what they expected to see. Encourage them to ask more questions based on what they learned. Discuss the process of science wherein we ask questions, make observations, and verify what we thought or form new ideas that lead to new questions.

SING

"Old McDonald Had a Farm" and create a list of the animals. As students think of the species, and you sing the song, assign pairs to create each animal (draw/paint,cut-out from a magazine and mount on cardboard). Plastic farm animal set can also be used, and/or used as models.

MATCH GAMES

1. Animal Identification (matching models with images or names)

2. Pocket Chart: matching name with image, and image with products

STORY TIME

Tafuri, Nancy. Spots, feathers, and curly tails. New York : Greenwillow, c1988. Questions and answers highlight some outstanding characteristics of farm animals, such as a chicken's feathers and a horse's mane. Everett, Felicity. The Usborne book of farm animals. London, England : Usborne, 1993. Big Book

ART

Color in the outlines (see AnOutlines.pdf)

CARDS

1. Math: Card game animal graphs: Using the cards, students get a random assortment of 10-20 cards and graph the number of each species (not breed; there are four of each breed).

2. Play concentration and recall matching pairs of cards. (See card game set for more memory and skill-building games. )

Explore: WRITING, MATH

WRITING

Create a Big Book following Kindergarten instructions. This is an opportunity to introduce new vocabulary - such as "Mare" instead of "Horse".

MATH

Weights and Measures: Students measuring water amounts Measuring/graphing exercise: water for a day; food for a day

Explain: ART, STORY TIME, MATH

ART

Purchase farm animal finger puppets (or create using posicle sticks or other craft materials). In a teacher-led example, put on a small show about farm animals' basic needs. Students can then create their own shoes in a drama corner. This activity also serves as an assessment.

STORY TIME

McPhail, David M. Farm morning. San Diego : Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, c1985. A father and his young daughter share a special morning as they feed all the animals on their farm.

MATH

In the blocks center, students design habitats for farm animals.

Expand: ART, HEALTH, MATH

ART

Class poster of products and services

HEALTH

Playground relay (a farm products game)

MATH

Egg measuring, non-standard measurement and ordination. Use yarn or other materials to measure circumference. Line up the eggs in order of size. Talk about the size of the bird that laid the egg too!

Evaluate:

Students do small group matching again at the pocket chart or on their table/desk to show their familiarity with the goods provided by domestic farm animals.

Ask the students to verbally describe similarities and differences about the products from the animals. (e. g. birds give eggs. Some animal products are available while the animal is alive such as wool, milk and eggs; some can only be harvested after the animals' death such as pork or beef or chicken.

Slideshow part 4 with discussion about rare breeds. For a more intensive unit, with goals beyond that of animal behavior and similarities and differences: Do they know what a breed is? Can they differentiate breeds? Can they discuss the value of rare breeds?