Farm Themed Unit

Literature
Who’s on the Farm by Heather J. Gondek.
From Seeds to Plant by Gail Gibbons
How a Seed Grows by Helene J. Jordan
Good Enough To Eat by Lizzy Rockwell
Get Healthy Feel Great by William Sears M.D., Martha Sears R.N., and Christie Watts Kelly Illustrated by Renee Andriani
URLs
http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/Themes/Farm/>
http://kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/food/pyramid.html>
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/Fpyr/pyramid.html>
Other materials and resources:
Pictures of food and plastic or real food for observation.
Farm clothes, hats for dramatic play.
Stick horses, puppet theatre, and finger puppets.
Pictures of foods for matching activity. (Activity 1)
Glue, scissors, magazines, paper plates, markers and crayons. (Activity 2)
Pots (6), potting soil, seeds, bucket, garden tools and water. (Activity 3)
Popsicle sticks, tape, and die cut vegetables. (Activity 3)


Instructional Delivery
Procedure:
Prior Knowledge: (5 minutes)
Relate to Prior Knowledge. (Where do you think food comes from?)
Discussion about eating healthy foods.
Relate to everyday life.
Hook: (Read Story 10 minutes)
Introduce the students to "Who’s on the Farm" By Heather J. Gondek. Begin by asking if anyone can tell you what the story may be about by looking at the picture on the front cover. This story describes different characteristics of farm animals and the farmer. Have a student helper assist with the finger puppet theatre and make noises of the animals featured in the book and use the puppet theatre.
Large group discussion: (10 minutes)
Why is a farm important and what does it do for us?
Many years ago work on the farm was much harder because they didn't have machines like we do today. Their work consisted by hand and the use of animals and plows. In farms today we have large machines that we can use to make the work easier and faster. There are still small farms, but there are many large ones that produce the products that we use.
Explain that many years ago work was not as easy as you think. Who do you think did the work? Why do you think it was so hard?
Ask students "What are some of the basic foods that we need every day?"
Today we are going to study the four basic food groups. We are also going to learn where our food comes from before we buy it from the store.
Discuss the four basic food groups. Ask students if they eat a well balanced meal? Have the students try to name all the basic food groups.
Which food group would this orange go into to? (Have several items to hold up and ask which food group it belongs to)


"The Garden Spot Center"
Divide students into three large groups and introduce them to "The Garden Spot" which will include different activities for them to experience. Explain the importance of each center and what the students should expect to learn from the activities. Tell the students that today they are going to play a food matching game, plan a healthy lunch, and plant some seeds of their own. This center should be set up with a farm and garden theme so students will feel like they are going on an adventure of their own. Display pictures or posters of healthy food and have the food pyramid guide hanging up in a prominent place for the students to observe. Display several different books about food and planting within the center for the students to read. "The Garden Spot" is a center for planting knowledge into our students.
Group Activity 1: (10 minutes) Food Group Matching Activity
Ÿ Materials: Food pyramid guide and pictures of fruits and vegetables.
Ÿ Students will match the food item to the correct food group by playing a matching game.
Group Activity 2: (10 minutes) Plan a Healthy Lunch Activity
Materials: Markers, scissors, glue, paper plates, and magazines.
Ÿ Divide the students into groups of four. Have students plan a good healthy lunch by choosing the proper foods from the pictures or posters in the lesson or cutting pictures out of magazines. Students will use markers to draw pictures or glue pictures from magazines of their choices on to the paper plates. Display their work up on the bulletin board in the classroom and discuss their food choices.
Group Activity 3: (10 minutes) Planting Seeds Activity
Materials: dirt, bucket, clear cups, beans, large spoons, markers, and popsicle sticks.
Divide students into 5 groups of 6 students by handing out different vegetables.
Review the "4 Things A Plant Needs To Grow" (light, soil, water, and space)
Students will take turns bringing their pot to the soil bucket and filling it up.
Students will take their seeds and plant them in the soil and water the plant.
Students will take their vegetable and tape it to a popsicle stick.
Have students write their name on their vegetable and stick it in their potted plant.
Place the plants in the window sill and watch them grow.
Closure: (5 minutes)
Let's review what we have learned.
Review activities and ask them what they enjoyed about them.
Preview next lesson- Tomorrow we will be studying farming and how natural resources are important to us.
Special Modifications:
The students with special needs will sit in front of the discussion group if proposed in their individual IEP’s. I will personally assist the students in creating their posters about what they would choose for a healthy breakfast and planting their beans if needed. I will ensure that the special needs child is participating by asking appropriate questions that they can understand.