Weekly Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan Title: Farm Life
Developed By:
Subject Area: Animals on a farm
Grade Level: Kindergarten- 2nd grade
Purpose: Learn about farm animals
Objective: Ability to identify the different animals that live on a farm.

Language Arts (Reading and Writing):
Before reading any stories, ask the children what types of animals they know live on farms.
Take notes on the white board or flip pages.
Read farm stories; The Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown, Chicken Little by Steven Kellogg, Wake Up, Big Barn by Suzanne Chitwood, and Arthur on the Farm by Marc Brown.
Revisit the white board. Ask the children what they can add to the information after they have heard each story.
Provide a Farm theme word list to each of the children.
Sing the songs, ‘Old MacDonald Had a Farm’, ‘Baa Baa Black Sheep’, ‘Farmer in the Dell’, and ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’.
Put out a variety of farm themed books and allow the children to browse through them on their own.
Have the children show pictures of their favorite farm animal and share with the class whether they have seen a real one.
Sing “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” with the children, allowing them to take turns picking animal/sound combinations

Art:
Have each child color or draw their favorite farm animal. (Children learning to print can also print the name of their animal on the page)
Make Butter (½ pint of heavy whipping cream and a dash of salt. Put into a container with a lid and shake until cream turns to butter serve on crackers.)
Make ice cream.
Cut toilet tissue rolls in half and paint pink. Add a pink circle to the end with nostrils. Punch two holes on the other end and add a string to tie them on with.
Supply each child with a piece of white paper and black non-toxic stamp pads. Show the child how to make fingerprints on the paper, using only one finger at a time.
Cut out cows. Explain to the child that cows like to eat grass. Go outside and have your child pick some grass. Have them glue the cows and the grass onto a piece of paper.

Math:On the whiteboard, keep a tally of the classroom’s farm animal favorites.
Ask the children if they know which is the most popular farm animal in the class based on the results of the tallying exercise.
Make Butter. (½ pint of heavy whipping cream and a dash of salt. Put into a container with a lid and shake until cream turns to butter serve on crackers.)
Farm Animal Counting Book. (Have each child stamp the appropriate number of animals on each page to match the text or number.
Fill a small jar with animal crackers. Ask each child to guess how many animal crackers are in the jar.
Place some popcorn kernels into a clear plastic container. Have the children guess how many kernels are in the container. Record each child guess. Then count them together.

Blocks:
Add plastic animals to the Block Center.
Encourage children to build corrals and pens for the animals.

Manipulative:
Collect plastic farm animals, let the children sort them according to type, or size.
Put out a variety of farm themed puzzles.
Play “Simon Say” except the teacher says “Farmer Says.”
Supply each child with a piece of white paper and black non-toxic stamp pads. Show the child how to make fingerprints on the paper, using only one finger at a time.
Use farm animal cookie cutters and play dough to help with fine motor skills.

Science/Social Studies:
Provide each child with a clear, plastic glove (the type used by food service employees) . Have them add a small amount of soil to each finger, then add seeds. Add a small amount of water in each finger, hang them up, and watch them grow. Discus what animal eats what crop.
Make Butter (½ pint of heavy whipping cream and a dash of salt. Put into a container with a lid and shake until cream turns to butter serve on crackers.)
Hatch eggs or raise chicks.
Place a hard-boiled egg in a cup of vinegar, and see what happens. It bubbles. After one day, take out the egg, wipe it off with a paper towel and feel the egg. Ask your child questions about what you see and feel.
Place some popcorn kernels into a clear plastic container. Have the children guess how many kernels are in the container. Record each child guess. Then count them together.

Dramatic play:
Cut toilet tissue rolls in half and paint pink. Add a pink circle to the end with nostrils. Punch two holes on the other end and add a string to tie them on with.
Use a brown blanket to stimulate the mud and let the kids have a good time ‘rolling in the mud.’
Stack hay bales for the children to sit on.
Have the children pretend to be their favorite farm animal and have a parade in your outdoor play area.
Place some plastic eggs under a pillow. Have the child sit on the pillow and guess how many eggs are under the pillow. Count the eggs with the child.
Supply overalls, straw hats, scarves, and boots to pretend to be a farmer.
Use play cows, pigs and
… and other animals and a box for the barn. Have your child pretend with the animals.

Sand/Water table:
Use shelled corn (dried corn kernels) or hay in the sand table.
Hide tiny toy mice in the hay for the children to find. Just like in a barn!

Special Needs Adaptations:
”” suggestions please!!!