A Little Bit of Me

Because I worked so hard on this, I thought it would be appropriate to share with everybody!

Unit Theme: All About Farms

Abstract

• Students will study about farms, including the importance of agriculture, the characteristics of a farm, the animals, and the farmer’s role. Students will be exposed to numerous texts and read alouds helping students connect preconceived ideas to truth and expose them to new material. Students will relate their life to a farm, by seeing what daily food products they use that originated at a farm. Dramatization of farm chores and creating class posters are just a few ways information will be presented and reinforced. Students will also be able to correctly identify and illustrate various farm animals and different processes that happen on a farm. Various skills such as mathematics and writing will be integrated during this theme as a way to reinforce concepts and improve skills. To end this seven day long unit students will travel to a local farm for a class field trip to experience the things they’ve been taught.

Prerequisite Knowledge and Skills

• Students have studied number 1 – 20, graphing, and grouping ones to tens in math earlier this year. Students also have a basic understanding of writing detailed sentences with proper formatting, capitals, formation of letters, sizing, and spacing. They also will have basic background knowledge about farms from previous experiences.

Chapter 4-Academic Standard(s) including estimated instructional time.

• 4.4 Agriculture and Society

• 1.2 Reading, Analyzing, and Interpreting Text

• 1.4 Types of Writing

• 1.5 Quality of Writing

• 2.1 Numbers, Number Systems, and Number Relationships

• 2.6 Statistics and Data Analysis

Benchmarks/Indicators

Students will:

• 4.4.A: Understand the importance of agriculture

• 4.4.B: Identify the components of the farming system (farmer’s role, animals, buildings, land)

• 1.1.K.D: Demonstrate listening comprehension/ understanding before, during, and after reading through strategies such as think aloud, retelling, summarizing, and connecting to prior knowledge

• 1.2.K.B: Identify facts from informational text

• 1.5.K.A: Write about one specific topic

• 2.1. K.A: Demonstrate the relationship between numbers and quantities, including rote counting, one-to-one correspondence, and counting by tens, and comparing values of whole numbers up to 20.

• 2.1. K.D: Use concrete objects to demonstrate regrouping ones to tens, with adult assistance.

• 2.6. K.A: Gather data in response to questions posed to learners.

• 2.6. K.C: Answer questions based on data shown on graphs or charts.

Essential Question(s)

• What is a farm?

• How do farms help everyday life?

Objectives (Taxonomy Wheel)

Students will:

• 4.4.A: Identify the activities done on a farm, such as wool, milk, eggs, corn

• 4.4.A: Identify the products that come from cows, chickens, and sheep

• 4.4.A: List the products found in a home that come from a farm

• 4.4.B: Create and label illustrations that show farm products

• 4.4.B: Visit a local farm

• 4.4.B: Dramatize the daily chores done on a farm

• 1.1.K.D: Think aloud during whole class readings

• 1.2.K.B: Create and label illustrations that were presented through informational texts

• 1.5.K.A: Record the events that took place on their farm field trip

• 2.1.K.A: Compare values of whole numbers up to 20

• 2.1.K.D: Group items from ones to tens

• 2.6.K.A: Ask questions related to farming or farm life that they are curious about

• 2.6.K.C: Graph the various student answers to questions about farming and farm life

• 2.6.K.C: Identify various characteristics of the graphs made in class through student posed questions

Assessment Options/Performance Criteria

Students will:

• 1.1.K.D: Actively participate in read alouds and keep attention focused

• 4.4.A: Label the process of how milk gets from the cow to the store with 90% accuracy in ordering and in correct letter formation/size/spacing

• 4.4.A: Sequence the process of sheering sheep with 90% accuracy

• 4.4.A: Sequence the process of growing and harvesting corn with 90% accuracy

• 4.4.A: Orally recite two products that come from cows, chickens, and sheep with 100% accuracy

• 4.4.B: Identify and illustrate farm animals with 100% accuracy

• 4.4.B: Dramatize the daily chores done on a farm with 100% accuracy

• 1.2.K.B: Label illustrations of various information, which was presented through informational texts with 80% accuracy

• 1.2.K.A: Write three - five detailed sentences about the class field trip to the farm using capitals, periods, letter formation, size, and spacing correctly.

Essential Learnings and Learning Opportunities

Students will:

• 1.1.K.D: Listen to various read alouds on farming books

examples:

o The Milk Makers by Gail Gibbons

o Babe The Sheep Pig, Oops, Pig! by Shana Corey

o “Not Now!” Said the Cow by Joanne Oppenheim

o Farmer Brown Shears His Sheep, A Yarn About Wool by Teri Sloat

o Corn by Fredrick Weaver

o I’m going to be a farmer by Edith Kunhardt

o Big Red Barn by Lisa Bonforte

• 4.4.A: Label the process of how milk gets from the cow to the store

• 4.4.A: Identify and sequence by illustrations the process of sheering sheep

• 4.4.A: Identify and sequence by illustrations the process of growing and harvesting corn

• 4.4.A: Identify the products that come from cows, chickens, and sheep

• 4.4.A: Create a class poster listing the products found in a home that come from a farm

• 4.4.B: Identify and illustrate farm animals

• 4.4.B: Visit a local farm

• 4.4.B: Dramatize the daily chores done on a farm

• 1.2.K.B: Label and create illustrations that were presented through informational texts

• 1.5.K.A: Record the events that took place on their farm field trip in their writing journal

• 2.1.K.A: Write the numbers 1 – 20 and illustrate values by various farm animals

• 2.1.K.D: Group farm tools in groups from ones to tens

• 2.6.K.A: Graph various questions about farm life posed to them each morning during calendar time

• 2.6.K.C: Discuss the various questions about farm life posed to them each morning during calendar time

Timeline

Differentiation: Process (Learning Opportunities)

• Jeremiah – pre-teaching on one or more topics so he can present relevant information to the class during class activities

• Hayden – pre-teaching on one or more topics so he can present relevant information to the class during class activities

• Easton – will give a short presentation to the class on the first day of the unit sharing his experiences with farms

• Miles – (enrichment) will pick a topic related to farming and present the information to the class in detail and share his personal experiences to farming

• Shawn – (enrichment) will pick a topic related to farming and present the information to the class in detail

Rubric or Checklist

• Check list for reciting products that come from cows, chickens, and sheep

• Check list for writing 3 – 5 detailed sentences about their class trip to the farm

• Informal checklist for students working on regrouping ones to tens

Life right now is defined by lesson plans, unit plans, observations, journals, papers, presentations, tests, PRAXIS II exams, and everything else that relates to teaching and academics. I can't handle this anymore. After this semester I'll be student teaching and taking one class, so the load will be less, which is nice for my last semester. But right now I can't breath.

I wish life was defined by an abundant time spent in the Word to study, read, and reflect on my Sweet Jesus. I'd do more to seek Him, who means everything to me. I'm still seeking and relying on Him, but in small pieces and moments. I haven't felt the overwhelming presence of the Holy Spirit in a while, and I long to be close to that experience. I hate this complacent cycle I'm in. I don't feel radical anymore, I feel like life is getting the best of me, and I can't stop it. Responsibilities swamp me every which way I look and stress in the usual. I want all this baggage to be taken off my shoulders.

I'm really sitting on and praying about a big decision/opportunity in my life right now. I'm scared. I'm nervous, and my faith comes and goes. I'm confident every other minute, and then what people have to say gets the best of me. Financial strains are killing me and I'm being tested in a weak area of trust.

I'd do anything to feel satisfaction and freedom carried on a summer breeze.