Welcome to my farm page.  Growing up in Iowa, I have had many first-hand experiences with farms and farm life.  I lived on a small acreage for 12 years where we raised horses, chickens, sheep, rabbits, pigs, cats, and dogs.  Moving into a small Iowa town did not stop me from appreciating the farm. I continued my membership with 4-H and exhibited pigs, sheep, and rabbits at the Clayton County Fair.
Upon moving to Chicago, IL, I realized that the students I taught had no real knowledge of farm life or farm animals.  All of these animals that I had the honor to see in a working farm they had only seen in zoos or on field trips.  While I knew that we couldn't take a trip to an actual farm, I wanted to bring the farm as close to them as possible.  I also want them to understand where their food really comes from, not from the store.
There are many farm related curriculum guides out there to browse.  One that I am using is called "From Farm to Table" by Evan-Moor (EMC 551) for grades 1-3. For grades PK-1 "Barnyard Babies" also by Evan-Moor (EMC 198) will be helpful for getting ideas for your farm unit. 
Frank Schaffer Publications has products such as bulletin board sets and an activity book called "All About Farms" for PK-1.  Here is an activity from the book that you can print.
Creative Teaching Press has a teaching unit on Farm Animals for grades 1-3.  It is 32 pages long and includes a poster. 
Farm Books
Big Red Barn, by Margaret Wise Brown, Felicia Bond (Illustrator)
Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type, by  Doreen Cronin, Betsy Lewin (Illustrator)
Open the Barn Door, by Christopher Santoro
My First Farm Book, by Annie Ingle, Aurelius Battaglia (Illustrator)
Maisy at the Farm, by Lucy Cousins, Lisa Boggiss (Illustrator)
Farm Animals, by Phoebe Dunn (Editor)
Charlotte's Web, by E. B. White, Garth Williams (Illustrator)
The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash, by Trinka Hakes Noble, Steven Kellogg (Illustrator)
Arthur on the Farm (Arthur Adventures Series), by Marc Brown
All the Places to Love, by Patricia MacLachlan, Mike Wimmer (Illustrator)
A Eyewitness Readers: Day at Greenhill Farm, by Sue Nicholson,  N. Young (Illustrator)
Sheep in a Jeep, by Nancy Shaw, Margot Apple (Illustrator)
Cow Moo Me, by Stephen Losordo, Jane Conteh-Morgan (Photographer)
Chicken Little, by Laura Rader
Up Went the Goat, by Barbara Gregorich, Robert Masheris (Illustrator)
The Little Red Hen, by Paul Galdone
Bonny's Big Day, by James Herriot, Ruth Brown (Illustrator)
Pal the Pony, by R. A. Herman and A. Herman, Betina Ogden (Illustrator)
Skip to My Lou, by Nadine Bernard Westcott
Color Farm, by Lois Ehlert
The Lonely Scarecrow, by Tim Preston and Caroline Repchuk, Maggie Kneen (Illustrator)
Down on the Funny Farm, by Patrick E. King, Alastair Graham (Illustrator)
The Smallest Cow in the World, by Katherine Paterson, Jane Clark Brown (Artist)
Farm Teaching Ideas:
Are you looking for ideas for you farm unit?  Check out these websites for other teacher's units as well as other teaching ideas.  To visit these sites, please click the hay bale.
Can Teach:  On the Farm:  Poetry and songs for your farm unit.
A to Z Teacher Stuff:  Farm Theme Ideas
Fun on the Farm:  Lesson ideas compiled by Marcia Goudie.  Lots of great stuff to see and do.
Inside Kindergarten:  Farm Page
Hummingbird Educational Resources:  Farm ideas for early childhood.
Kindergarden Kafe:  Farm Ideas (Oct/Nov. 1997)
Mrs. V's 1st grade:  Down on the Farm
At the Farm:  Early Childhood Farm Unit
Kiddyland:  Farm Animals for Teachers and Kids - all about animals for kids.  Teacher Resources including poems, songs, worksheets, etc.
Farm School - Resources for teachers, parents, and kids.
On-Line Farm Unit:  Includes lots of links for other farm activities on the web.
Kids CORNer:  Activities for students in the intermediate grades about corn.
Kids Farm:  Want to see some farm animals? Check out this site.
Old MacDonald's Farm:  Ideas for this well-known song.
Welcome to Big Farm:  This is an online storybook about farms.
Little Farmer's Place:  Agriculture for PK- 2nd grade students.  Coloring pages, farming information, and other resources.
Barnyard Buddies Coloring Pages
Make a Farm:  Go to this site for free software to make and print your own farm.
National Pork Producers Council:  This site has lots of information devoted to pigs.  Check out the free teaching unit "Welcome to our Farm" on pigs for PK-1.
Got Milk? Homepage - Games and resources on milk.
Nutrition Explorations:  Studying the farm brings in the study of nutrition. Information on the Chef Combo, Pyramid Cafe, and other Nutrition Education Materials.
Animals from the Farm
Looking for more farm ideas?  If you are a frequent Teacher's Net visitor - here is the list of farm ideas provided by the Early Childhood mailring.  Just click the hay bale to view them!
I am very honored to receive the Little Farmer's Field of Dreams Award.  Please visit this fantastic site to learn more about agriculture!
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