My Farmer'S Journal Template (Page 3 of 6) in pdf

Lesson Preparation:

1. Use Reproducible #1 – KWL Chart Template or create your own KWL chart. As the lesson

progresses, you will fill in this chart based on your students responses: in the K Column, you

will record what your students already know about farming; in the W column, you will

record what your students would like to know about farming; and finally, in the L column,

you will record what your students have learned about farming as a result of this lesson.

LESSON STEPS

Access Prior Knowledge (KWL chart)

Warm-up:

1. Begin this lesson by discussing with your class their knowledge of farming. Ask the students

to share what they already know about the topic. Record their responses in the first column

of the KWL chart.

a. Ask students to name food sources, i.e. oatmeal comes from oats and hamburgers

come from cows.

2. After sharing their incoming knowledge, ask the students to share what they want to know

about farming. Record their responses in the second column on the KWL chart.

Activity One:

Book reading

1. Review key words (see above) and reading strategies prior to reading the book.

2. Read aloud a children’s storybook about farming (see recommendations above) being sure to

engage the students by pointing out relevant words, pictures and objects.

Sorting, identifying & classifying

Activity Two:

1. Place a pile of items on the floor. Items should include: toy farm animals, toy farm

machinery, hand trowel, hand shovel, hand rake, bags of seeds (corn, peas, beans, etc.), and a

bag of soil.

2. Ask each student to retrieve an item from the pile and describe it.

a) What size is the object?

b) What color is the object?

c) What does it feel like? Is it soft or hard?

d) What does the object remind you of?

e) Does it look like it is something man-made?

f) Is it or could it be alive?

3. If possible, have the student identify the item, or tell class what it is and what it is used for.

Ask students if they have seen this object in real life.

4. When students are done sharing, place three bins on the floor, labeled: animal, plant, and

farming tool. The class will discuss which bin each item should go in.

Review/Completion of KWL chart

Wrap Up:

Earth Day Network

1616 P Street NW, Suite 340 Washington, DC 20036

(P) 202-518-0044 (F) 202-518-8794

education@earthday.net

My Farmer'S Journal Template Page 3