Down on the Farm

With the implementation of Common Core, I'm trying to expose my kinders to more non-fiction books.  In the carousel above, three of the books have really great science and social studies connections to things that come from farms.  It's funny how kids in the city think that ice cream is made at the grocery store and really have no concept that it actually comes from milk that's produced by cows.  The series by Lerner Publishing Group called "Start to Finish" really helps young children to see the process through realistic pictures.  The other three books in the carousel are fun and filled with nice rhymes and colorful pictures.

I just made some farm-themed vocabulary words that I'd like to share with you.  I'm going to place these in a pocket chart so my students can look at them to write stories and sentences independently.

Farm Vocabulary Word Cards by Sharon A Blachowicz Dudley

I also placed on TPT a free Farm Writing Prompt that I'm going to use this week to help my children make more complex sentences.  If you like this farm prompt, you might want to check out my Spring and Fantasy writing prompts.

I think I'm also going to try some planting.  The warm weather really makes one think about blossoming plants.  Yay!  Spring is here, finally!

Fun Farm Freebies

Doreen Cronin is hysterical!  If you have not read any of these books with your children, you are missing a fabulous, fun-filled story time.  My kids crack up, whether they're pre-k or kindergarten.  The book that started the whole series is Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type.  This book is such a great springboard for having your children write letters to Farmer Brown, to each other, or to you about what they would like in their classroom that they don't already have.  Duck For President provides a really timely social studies link about the electoral process.

For guided reading, I've used the following two books as a science/reading integrated experience.  We read the books and then use them as models for making their graphic organizer (also available for download below).  I have used these books and this graphic organizer for their independent writing time and as a science center activity.  My children really feel independent when they can look back in the books and find the answers for themselves.  If you like this type of thing, I just put up a brand new Farm Animal Unit on TPT that's packed with 141 pages of terrific guided reading books, graphic organizers, games, and writing experiences.

Things at the Farm Living
Things at the Farm Non-Living
Farm Graphic Organizers Living Nonliving

My post would not be complete if I didn't share with you some really fun farm songs that'll have your kids dancing and "moo"-ing all over the room!  "What Word Makes Sense" by Jack Hartmann is really cool because the children have to fill in a line of the song with a rhyming word.  Here's an example: "There's a cow whose name is Sue.  She eats some grass and then says ____ (moo)."  "Down On The Farm" by Greg & Steve is just a kid-pleasing song.  They really get into saying the different sounds that the animals make.  Finally, Dr. Jean, my favorite artist, does a song called "Color Farm" where the children spell the color words of the animals in the song.  If you've never heard this song, it's so wonderful for teaching color words in an upbeat, active manner!

Enjoy the farm freebies!