Farming and the services of a Community (Lesson 5)
Grade Level(s): K, 1-2
By: Sherian Waggoner, 2nd grade teacher

Students identify different types of farms, and different services of a community.

Objectives:

1. TLW understand how a farm performs services.
2. TLW understand how a community performs services.

Materials:

A pretend farm
Worksheet
Dry-erase board and markers

Plan:

SET:

ATTENTION GETTER:
A pretend farm & community.

STUDENT INVOLVEMENT:
Have students name off all types of farms they know about.

RELATE TO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE:
Discussion about a wheat farm.

RELATE TO REAL LIFE:
Contact with a farm.

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURE:

TEACHER
Ask students what have we been studying about.
Review - livestock, crop, soil, weather, climate, bar graph, temperature, thermometer, grain, line graph, drill, harvest, combine, and grain elevator.

STUDENT RESPONSE:

TEACHER:
Today we are going to learn about different types of farming. Can anyone tell me a type of farm besides a wheat farm?

STUDENT RESPONSE:

TEACHER:
This picture you are looking at is a rural area in Kansas. How is this picture similar to our farming community?

STUDENT RESPONSE:

TEACHER:
Do you remember how we talked about why farmers planted Winter Wheat? The farmers planted it to build up the soil so they could use the ground the next year. What does build up the soil mean?

STUDENT RESPONSE:

TEACHER:
There is another way farmers save natural resources. It is called Conservation. This is when farmers make rows in the soil so the water can soak into it. This helps keep the land from washing away. If the rows were not in the land it would wash away and the farmers would have no place to grow his/her crop. Many years ago farmers did not have machines to help them save the soil from washing away. They did everything with horses and mules. It tool a lot of work back then to do what is fairly simple today. Would anyone in here do that kind of work, just to save a crop?

STUDENT RESPONSE:

TEACHER:
Does anyone remember what a service is?

STUDENT RESPONSE:

TEACHER:
Lets name some types of services the community offers to us.
(Schools, hospitals, firemen, police, learning centers, parks, nursing homes, stores, restaurants, and churches)

STUDENT RESPONSE

TEACHER:
Review lesson - Vocabulary words - Conservation, service

STUDENT RESPONSE:

TEACHER:
Now we are going to do a worksheet to make sure everyone understands the lesson. I am going to read it to you and you answer the questions. Review words with students' response.

CLOSURE:
Tomorrow we will be learning about the Pioneer children and how they were a very close family who depended on each other.

INDEPENDENT STUDY:
Worksheet
Vocabulary words - Conservation, service

Comments:

This lesson is a very good lesson if you want to teach about many different types of farms. It is very fun and exciting for all students. I let the students help me make the pretend farm. You can modify this lesson to fit the needs of all students from the intelligent to the mentally challenged.

Related Pages:

Introduction to Farming in the United States (Lesson 1) ( K, 1-2 )
Identify where food comes from, and the four basic food groups.

Farming: Natural Resources (Lesson 2) ( K, 1-2 )
Students identify natural resources, and weather & climate, temperature, and precipitation.

Farming: Raising Winter Wheat (Lesson 3) ( K, 1-2 )
Students name some uses of wheat, and identify the uses of a line graph.

Farming: Seasons on a Wheat Farm (Lesson 4) ( K, 1-2 )
Students identify the seasons on a wheat farm, and identify the use of a grain elevator.