Leading Question: What are some species
of farm animals and what are their similarities and differences?
Overview
Using the familiar topic of farm animals, the Kindergarten unit focuses on
having students identify ten common species of farm animals and discuss
their similarities and differences. Students visit a farm, observe and
act out their favorite animal, play similarities and differences games,
hear and read stories, look at pictures, view the slideshow and do supplemental
graphing, poetry, vocabulary work as time allows. Activities support students
gaining understanding of how farm animals interact with their environment
and recognizing common behaviors among farm animals. Through these multiple
exposures, students learn to identify domestic livestock (such as a cow,
duck, goose, goat), practice observing both physical and behavioral similarities
and differences, and discover the similarities and differences between
themselves and farm animals.
Key Concepts
• identify and name common organisms
• observe the characteristics of organisms
• observe and discuss animal behaviors
• explore the similarities and differences between humans and animals.
• compare and contrast animals
Critical Skills:
• Describe observed events.
• Develop questions on scientific topics
• Collect data for investigations.
• Compare observations of individual and group results.
Prior to beginning this unit, research the possibility of taking a field trip to a local farm where students can observe farm animals. Review the teacher resource: SimsNDiffs.pdf to get a quick review of some of the major similarities and differences between different species of farm animals.
Slideshow
It is very helpful to review the slideshow in advance and practice reading it through for inflection and meaning. It is a great review of the major concepts of the curriculum and a solid introduction to rare breeds.
