APRIL FOOLISHNESS!

Activities & Lessons to Complement

April Foolis

hness by Teresa Bateman

. Don’t be a fool!! This lesson booklet is a great story choice for April Fool’s Day or a farm-themed unit. These hand’s-on activities can easily be implemented

into centers. No joking about it, these activities will be a great way to introduce your students to agriculture while meeting the learning standards

This booklet is designed to expand the minds of your students. The lessons and activities in this booklet can be used in your classroom as supplemental

learning materials in the areas of science, social studies and language arts. All lessons and activities are correlated to the Illinois State Learning Standards and

Assessment Framework and are designed to complement the the book April Foolishness by Teresa Bateman.

A visual key has also been created and used with each activity to indicate its

subject area. The topics include: hands-on, science, social studies, health and nutrition, math, art, reading, and writing.

Hands-on

Math

Science Writing

Art

Social Studies Reading

Health and Nutrition

Learning Standards & Assessments

Beautiful Bovine

Illinois Learning Standards: 4.A.1b, 4.A.1c, 4.B.1b, 5.A.1a, 10.A.1b, 12.A.1a, 12.A.1b, 12.B.1a, 12.B.1b, 13.B.1d Assessment Framework: 1.3.04, 1.3.05, 1.3.06, 1.3.14, 1.3.19, 1.3.20, 1.3.27, 3.306, 3.3.08, 12.4.01

The Cows Are Loose

Illinois Learning Standards: 4.A.1c, 4.B.1b, 5.A.1a, 10.A.1b, 12.B.1b, 13.B.1d Assessment Framework: 1.3.13, 1.3.14, 1.3.19, 1.3.20, 1.3.27, 12.4.01

Moo Masks

Illinois Learning Standards: 4.A.1c, 4.B.1b, 13.B.1d, 12.B.1b Assessment Framework: 1.3.13, 1.3.14, 1.3.19, 1.3.20, 1.3.27, 12.4.01

The Chickens are Out

Illinois Learning Standards: 4.A.1c, 4.B.1b, 10.A.1b, 12.B.1b, 13.B.1d Assessment Framework: 1.3.13, 1.3.14, .13.19, 1.3.20, 1.3.27, 12.4.01, 12.4.03

The Pigs Broke the Gate

Illinois Learning Standards: 4.A.1c, 4.B.1b, 12.B.1b, 13.B.1d Assessment Framework: 1.3.13, 1.3.14, 1.3.19, 1.3.20, 1.3.27, 12.4.01

Colorful Fleeces

Illinois Learning Standards: 4.a.1c, 12.A.1a, 12.A.1b, 12.B.1a, 12.B.1b, 13.B.1d, 18.A.2, 26.A.2f Assessment Framework: 1.3.13, 1.3.14, 1.3.19, 1.3.20, 1.3.27, 12.4.01

Beautiful Bovine Objective: Students will be able demonstrate some of the body parts of a cow to show how a cow is different from a human. Illinois Learning Standards: 4.A.1b, 4.A.1c, 4.B.1b, 5.A.1a, 10.A.1b, 12.A.1a, 12.A.1b, 12.B.1a, 12.B.1b, 13.B.1d Assessment Framework: 1.3.04, 1.3.05, 1.3.06, .13.14, 1.3.19, 1.3.20, 1.3.27, 3.306, 3.3.08, 12.4.01 Suggested Reading Material: All Around the Farm by Heather Alexander Amazing Grazing by Cris Peterson Cock-a-doodle-doo! Barnyard Hullabaloo by Giles Andreae & David Wojtowycz, Beef Ag Mag available at www.agintheclassroom.org Activity: Beautiful Bovine Materials: Surgical glove Vest - leather/fur Yarn Chewing gum Fly swatter Plastic headband Cardboard Four socks Sand paper Four balloons Large bag Elastic Yarn Directions: 1. Assemble the pretend parts of a cow as follows: Udder - Stuff the surgical glove with tissue. Attach yarn to tie around student's waist. Horns and ears - cut cardboard in the shape of a cow's ears and horns, and attach them to a plastic headband. Hooves - cut four cardboard hoof prints and attach them to the bottoms of the four socks. Tongue - cut sand paper to hang around student's head. Attach yarn to tongue to hand around student's head. Stomachs - Blow up four balloons and tie them together with yarn. Tail - Tie fly swatter to a piece of yarn to tie around the student's waist. Gum - give student a piece of chewing gum to chew as "cud". Hide - place the vest on students to represent the hide of a cow. Place items in your bag once assembled. 2. Ask one of your students to volunteer to be dressed up to look like a cow. To avoid embarrassing any of your students, ask your principal or another adult to be the volunteer. 3. Ask students to imagine what a cow looks like and what special parts it has that are different from a human. What makes a cow a cow? 4. Ask students to suggest ways to make the volunteer look like a cow. As they come up with ideas, dress the volunteer with the props in your bag. Share background information regarding each body part as you dress up your volunteer.

The Cows are Loose Objective: Students will have an understanding of the process by which milk be comes butter. Illinois Learning Standards: 4.A.1c, 4.B.1b, 5.A.1a, 10.A.1b, 12.B.1b, 13.B.1d Assessment Framework: 1.3.13, 1.3.14, 1.3.19, 1.3.20, 1.3.27, 12.4.01 Suggested Reading Material: Hooray for Dairy Farming, by Bobbie Kalman Clarabelle by Cris Peterson, Dairy Ag Mag Activity: Making Butter - The Cows are Loose Materials: Pint to quart-sized glass jar (with lid) Marbles (optional) 8 oz. (240 ml) carton of whipping cream Salt A bowl Child-safe knife for spreading Bread Directions: 1. Direct students to pour the whipping cream into the jar. (If you choose, have students also place 2 marbles in the jar as well.) 2. Have students close the lid tightly. 3. Have students take turns shaking the jar vigorously. 4. After a few minutes a lump should appear. This is the butter! 5. When butter is formed, have students empty the jar into a bowl. Pour off the liquid and rinse the butter with water. 6. Add a few sprinkles of salt. 7. Allow students to spread the butter onto the bread or crackers. Eat! SHAKE IT! (Sung to the tune of the “I Have Something In My Pocket” or the “Brownie Smile Song.” ) We’re going to make some butter, We're learning and we're churning, Rich and creamy too, Hey this is lots of fun! With milk from a cow’s udder It's easy to make butter, Before you can say moo. Let's eat it when it's done. Chorus: Chorus: So shake it, shake it, shake it, Shake it if you can Oh listen very carefully, Shake it like a milkshake, It's sounding different now, And shake it once again. Hooray it's finally butter! Be sure to thank the cow. Put some cream into a jar, You can add a marble or two, Chorus: Make sure the lid is on tightly, That’s all you have to do. Chorus:

Moo Masks Objective: Students will demonstrate an ability to identify types of cattle based on markings. Illinois Learning Standards: 4.A.1c, 4.B.1b, 13.B.1d, 12.B.1b Assessment Framework: 1.3.13, 1.3.14, 1.3.19, 1.3.20, 1.3.27, 12.4.01 Suggested Reading Material: Clarabelle by Cris Peterson Click, Clack, Moo by Doreen Cronin & Betsy Lewin Dairy Ag Mag available at www.agintheclassroom.org Activity: Moo Masks Create a fun dairy cow mask with an ear tag. Materials: 1 Large dinner plate 2 Small dessert plates String Glue or Staples Crayons, markers, or colored pencils Dairy Ag Mag available at www.agintheclassroom.org Directions: 1. Have the students cut one dessert plate in half. 2. Have the students staple or glue the other dessert plate behind the large dinner plate. They should draw eyes on the dessert plate and a mouth on the dinner plate. 3. Next use the dessert plate that was cut in half to make two ears that are glued or stapled to the top of the dessert plate with the eyes. 4. Have the students use the writing utensils to color the cow with black and white spots. 5. Have the students add an ear tag to their mask, using their birthdate in numerals. Attach string to the side of the mask to allow it to wrap around their heads.

The Chickens Are Out! Objective: Students will demonstrate an ability to trace letters and will understand the life cycle of a chicken. Illinois Learning Standards: 4.A.1c, 4.B.1b, 10.A.1b, 12.B.1b, 13.B.1d Assessment Framework: 1.3.13, 1.3.14, .13.19, 1.3.20, 1.3.27, 12.4.01, 12.4.03 Suggested Reading Material: Jen the Hen by Sue Graves Chicks and Salsa by Aaron Reynolds Big Chickens by Leslie Helakoski An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Aston and Sylvia Long The Chicken-Chasing Queen of Lamar County by Janice N. Harrington Activity: Egg Letter Tracing Practice Materials: Templates: Page A, B, C Stapler Large oval plate Glue Markers Pens/pencils Directions: 1. Copy the templates for each student. 2. Have students follow directions to cut out their tracing page (Page A), chick (Page B), and egg (Page C). 3. Page A: Have students trace the words that relate to chickens. Have students cut around the egg on the bold lines. 4. Page B: Have students color the chick. Have students cut on the bold line marked by arrows. 5. Page C: Cut on bold line around outside of egg. Staple Page A at the points indicated by stars to create a pouch. Insert page B. When they pull page B up, the chick will come out of the egg. 6. Give each student a large oval plate. Ask them to glue their egg to the plate.

Objective: Students will demonstrate their knowledge of the parts of a pig and how pigs differ from humans. Illinois Learning Standards: 4.A.1c, 4.B.1b, 12.B.1b, 13.B.1d Assessment Framework: 1.3.13, 1.3.14, 1.3.19, 1.3.20, 1.3.27, 12.4.01 Suggested Reading Material: Farm Animals by Melvin & Gilda Berger, Mrs. Wishy, Washy's Farm by Joy Cowley Pork Ag Mag available at www.agintheclassroom.org Activity: Paper Bag Pig Puppets Materials: Template (Could copy on pink paper) Pink paint or construction paper Paper bag Glue Markers, colored pencils, crayons Scissors Directions: 1. Print out the template (You can print the template on pink paper if you choose!) 2. If you do not print them on colored paper, color the pieces and cut them out. Get familiar with your paper bag! 1. Look at your paper bag. It should be closed and flat like a piece of paper. Just like when they are brand new. 2. On one side, it's all smooth. This will be the BACK of your puppet. (It's important that all the kids get the back and front straight at the beginning!) 3. On the other side there's a flippy tab (which is typically the bottom of the bag when you're carrying your lunch around...) This flippy tab will be the HEAD. 4. Look at the rest of the front of the bag. (The 3/4 or so of the bag below the part with the flippy tab) This will be the BODY. 5. OK, now that we're comfy with our bags, let's craft! Putting your puppet together: 1. Print the template of choice and color in the pieces, as necessary. 2. If desired, take a piece of pink construction paper and cut it out to be the size of the body and glue it onto the paper bag. 3. Cut another piece the size of the head and glue it onto the bag. 4. You can also cut a third piece the size of the back and glue it onto the bag. 5. Alternatively, you can paint your whole bag pink 6. Glue the eyes, snout, ears onto the head. 7. Lift the side tab and put on a spot of glue. Attach the arm. (Or you can attach it to the front of the body if you prefer.) Do the same with the other arm. 8. Cut the tail out in a spiral (follow the template dotted lines). 9. Turn the bag over and glue the center of the spiral to the bag.

The Pigs Broke the Gate

Colorful Fleeces Objective: Students will have an understanding of the process by which wool is collected, historical uses of wool, and the dying process. Illinois Learning Standards: 4.a.1c, 12.A.1a, 12.A.1b, 12.B.1a, 12.B.1b, 13.B.1d, 18.A.2, Assessment Framework: 1.3.13, 1.3.14, 1.3.19, 1.3.20, 1.3.27, 1.4.01 Suggested Reading Material: Hooray for Sheep Farming, by Bobbie Kalman Little Lamb by Piers Harper Activity: Colorful Fleeces Dyeing wool is the art of adding color to the material. People have dyed wool for centuries. Alt-hough dyeing fiber started as a domestic activity, it became a commercial enterprise. The an-cient Jewish nation used blue thread, scarlet material, and wool dyed reddish purple for their reli-gious garments. Ancient Egypt was known for brilliant dyed goods and many Phoenician cities became important dye centers. Sheep are sheared in the springtime. The piece of wool that is removed from a sheep is called a fleece. After the fleece is removed, it is scoured, or washed to remove dirt, grease, and grass. Next, the clean wool is carded to separate the fibers. The wool is also combed so the fibers are in one direction. The wool is then spun into yarn. Yarn is knitted or woven into fabric. Coarse wool is used for woolen yarn and fine wool is used for worsted yarn. Woolen yarn is used in car-pets and thick sweaters while worsted is used for items with lightweight fabrics such as suits and dresses. Wool can be dyed with natural sources. Some possibilities are dandelion roots, zinnias, tansies, beets, blueberries, avocado seeds, goldenrod leaves, and brazilwood trees. Materials: -Light-colored, clean, carded wool -Gallon jar -Flavored drink powder packages -Boiling water Directions: 1. Read Hooray for Sheep Farming by Bobbie Kalman 2. Discuss dyeing wool. The fiber of wool has tiny pores. When wool is dyed, the pores open to accept the moisture and the dye is taken into the fiber and held there. 3. Show the students clean, carded wool. Discuss the process of wool from sheep to fabric. 4. Let the students choose their favorite colors for wool dying. 5. Dissolve 1 or more packages of colored drink mix into a gallon jar with boiling water. 6. Stuff up to a pound of wool into the jar. 7. After an hour, all of the dye will be absorbed by the wool. The water will be clear!

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