First 2 weeks, Sept. 2015: Down on the Farm!!!!
I was ill for a solid week at the end of August so the kids got a little break and did some computer programming with dad, did a lot of playing outdoors, took out their garden stakes/ helped put their supplies away for the winter and so on–they’re enjoying the literal fruits of their labors with garden peppers, tomatoes, etc. in salad and cooked sauce form.
I’m using the Thematic Farm book from the library to have them do things farm math, writing, drawing, music, rhymes, etc. Each one has different pages that are more appropriate (like writing the names of puppies and a story about it for the 6 yo and ending sounds for the 4 yo). I also have assorted worksheets printed for free listed on my Farm Unit Study Pinterest board. They’re customized for each child’s grade level needs.
I’ve used several alphabet and tracing pages, plus matching pictures to words to encourage the 4 yo in her reading. I’ve used double digit addition and recently introduced subtraction through one of the workbooks for the 6 year old. In addition they’ve done pretend play, sang a LOT of farm songs, done pattern blocks, art (drawing a barn, a farm scene, their favorite farm animal, a pond scene etc.) and an awesome ice cream matching set we found on WUH blog that focuses on matching upper and lower case letters to their respective scoop and cone. They’ve done a lot of card playing, too, learning about taking turns, following rules, being gracious winners and losers, allowing younger kids to receive help without being jealous, and so on… it’s amazing how much they can relate to their work without any prompting at all. Just driving through our rural area is great learning for the kids (all of them). We have dairy farms right down from us, plus are surrounded by fields and other things that prompt discussion, and it IS harvest time after all!
We found a great set of ‘math’ oriented books with pigs in them and have discovered a love of the wacky books by Cronin that follow adventures on the farm. It even helps the toddler (21 mos.) with learning all her animals and their sounds. Gotta love bonus learning!
I also had the 6 yo as per typical of with any unit study we are doing list A-Z down the side of her page and come up with farm words for each one. A dictionary has been a blessing to her, as in figuring out that ‘goat’ was not ‘gote’ she found incubator and vermin for hard letters to match. Winner winner- chicken dinner!
We will delve into trees and leaves for the latter half of the month! Can’t think of a better time!
Getting kids to write: These 2 books introduced writing stories using a story path and how to grow an idea (like a pet)
Little Red Writing by Holub
What do you do with an idea by Yamada
I used these to try and get the older child to write not only more, but more thoroughly, full sentences, and so on–for the first time I got her to introduce a setting and follow through with some sort of story line, with additional practice, I think she’ll do really well, with her creative mind, if she can put it to good use, it will be interesting to look through her composition book from the beginning of the year to the end.
Learning Through Play/Kits:
Grandpa’s Farm Felt Kit- this was a great find, it even had random things NOT belonging to the farm that we could rule out (like tigers)
Animals Around Me Discovery Kit (DVD, farm cards)- this was Baby Einstein, the toddler and 4 yo loved it.
Reading Rainbow Kit ‘The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash‘ Book and Video (this was hilarious!)
Farm Storytime Kit (puzzle, books*, stuffed animals, and assorted coloring/activity pages and posters)
1001 Things to spot on the farm Usborne books
Laminated these for current/future play:
Farm Bingo (descriptions of farm items, child matches what they are hearing to a bingo space)- on pinterest board
Animal Lotto (similar to bingo but with all the same sheets, we created typed words for the 6 year old to match with instead of just pictures)
Farm Vocab for 6 year old- she matched snipped off words to pictures, 4 year old focused on trying to READ the words with the pics.
Match baby animals to their moms page
6 Year old Independent Reading:
Ace the Very Important Pig by King-Smith
My America As Far As I Can See Meg’s Diary St. Louis to the Kansas Territory 1856 by McMullan
Dear America The Winter of the Red Snow The Revolutionary War Diary of Abigail Jane Stewart by Gregory
Dear America A Picture of Freedom The Diary of Clotee, a Slave Girl by McKissack
Mermaid Tales The Polar Bear Express by Dadey
E is for Elisa by Hurwitz
Fancy Feet by Reilly Giff
Baby Sitters Little Sister Karen’s Big Fight by Martin
Baby Sitters Little Sister Karen’s New Bike by Martin
Baby Sitters Little Sister by Karen’s Ski Trip Martin
Baby Sitters Little Sister Karen’s Stepmother by Martin
How to Train Your Dragon by Cowell
Second Grade Friends by Cohen
Baby Sitters Little Sister Karen’s Lemonade Stand by Martin
Baby Sitters Little Sister Karen’s Big Sister by Martin
Baby Sitters Little Sister Karen’s Movie by Martin
Dear America Westward to Home Joshua’s Diary Oregon Trail by Hermes
Dear America Five Smooth Stones Hope’s Diary Philadelphia, PA by Gregory
The Fairy Rebel by Banks
Matilda by Dahl
Reading with the 4 year old:
Julia’s House for Lost Creatures by Hatke
The Adventures of Beekle The Unimaginary Friend by Santat
Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great by Shea
Tom Rabbit by Waddell
Look Who’s in the Thanksgiving Play by Clements
Topical Reading:
Thump, Quack, Moo A Whacky Adventure by Cronin
A Picture Book of Horses by Gise
Animals on the Farm by BRIMAX
Baby Farm Animals by Win
Cock-a-doodle-doo! Barnyard Hullabaloo by Andreae
I Yam a Donkey! by Bell
Awesome Agriculture PIGS an A-Z book by Anderson
Happy Baby Who Lives on the Farm? (board book)
My Little People Farm A Lift the Flap Playbook (board book) by Fisher Price
Awesome Agriculture BEEF CATTLE an A-Z Book by Anderson
Seasons on the Farm by Miller
We Love the Dirt by Johnston
The Grumpy Morning by Edwards
Old MacDonald (board book) by BRIMAX
The Turnip by Domanska
Dooby Dooby Moo by Cronin
Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type by Cronin
Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy by Dodd
Click Clack Quackity Quack an alphabetical adventure by Cronin
Click Clack Splish Splash a counting adventure by Cronin
Rooster’s Off to See the World by Carle
The Little Scarecrow Boy by Brown
All Around the Farm (John Deere) by Alexander
Pigs and Pork in the story of agriculture by Anderson
*Big Red Barn by Brown
*The Ornery Morning by Demuth
*Down on the Farm with Grover by Sipherd
*When the Cows Come Home by Harrison
*Welcome to our Farm book
Math Reading:
Pigs on the Move Fun with Math and Travel by Axelrod
Pigs on the Ball Fun with Math and Sports by Axelrod
Pigs at Odds Fun with Math and Games by Axelrod
Pigs in the Corner Fun with Math and Dance by Axelrod
Pigs go to Market Fun with Math and Shopping by Axelrod
Pigs on a Blanket Fun with Math and Time by Axelrod
Pigs will be Pigs Fun with Math and Money by Axelrod
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