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The Teacher's Guide
Farm animals create a large part of the excitement for students visiting
a farm. This section provides numerous projects and activities to teach
students a few things about those animals they may not have known before.
Using these lessons to compliment a trip to the farm will help students form lasting memories of their visit to Puck's Farm.
For your inforMOOtion
Cows provide us with many products that are immediately recognizable to
students. Students will learn the vital role that cows play in their day
to day existence and the following projects will help keep those lessons in
their minds.
Farms supply us with the food we buy in the supermarket to eat. Under the
following diagram of a cow are headings recording the types of common
products we get from cows. Under each heading, fill in specific examples
of each product. (Ex. Meat--Steak, hamburger).
meat
butter
cream
cheese
milk
Have the ESL student point to different parts of a cow as someone else
pronounces it. Then have the student pronounce the item that someone else
points to.
head
body
legs
ears
eyes
abdomen
mouth
horns
hoof
back
cheek
Categorizing
1. Using newspapers, prepare a price list of products derived from farm
animals. E.g. beef roast, pork chops, cheese, shoes, wool sweater, leather
sofa).
Categorize the list by:
a) price
b) product (e.g. food, clothing or necessary/luxury items)
c) source
Plot the information as follows:
price--bar graph
product--line graph
source--pictorial graph
What conclusions do you draw from the above?
Click here to learn more about cows!
Writing Projects
1. Do a report of your visit to Puck's Farm.
2. Write a commercial/ad for Puck's Farm.
3. Describe the process of shearing from the point of view of a sheep or
a lamb.
4. A stray dog or cat arrives at a farm. Write about that event from the
point of view of both the stray and other farm animals or from just one
point of view.
5. Write a story focusing on raising an animal that later has to be sold/killed/
eaten.
6. Write the autobiography of a farm animal.
7. Describe and evaluate Puck's Farm from the point of view of the
following:
a) Developers
b) Home buyers
c) Farmers
d) Animals
e) Environmentalists
Research ProjectsSpinning and Weaving
What is the purpose of the ear tags on sheep?
How much fleece does the average sheep produce?
Which sheep at Puck's Farm produce the least wool?
From what animal is mohair obtained?
On average, what percent of a sheep's carcass is used?
Compare the weight of raw wool to the finished product.
What is the average cost of maintaining farm sheep?
What is the average income that farm sheep produce?
1. There are about 1 billion sheep worldwide. They produce 6 billion pounds
of wool. That results in 3 billion pounds of clean wool, 1/4 of which is
used for carpets with the remainder being used for clothing and other things.
a) What is the ratio of sheep to raw wool produced?
b) What is the ratio of sheep to clean wool produced?
c) What is the ratio of raw wool to clean wool?
d) Rewrite to wool production figures in Kg.
e) What percentage of wool is used for items other than carpets?
f) How many Kg of clean wool is used for carpets?
Topics for Discussion
1. Compare wool from sheep with wool from other animals such as Angora,
Mohair, etc.
2. What are the genetic traits for which sheep are bred? What is your
opinion of this practice? What are the implications for humans?
3. Discuss the role of sheep in Canadian history and settlement.
4. How do sheep show emotions? (affection, fear, anger, pain, pleasure)
5. Where are the 4 largest sheep producing areas of the world? What do they
have in common?
6. How does the international market affect the income of Canadian sheep
farmers?
7. Find 3 recipes for lamb/mutton. Each recipe should cook the meat by a
different method. If possible choose from 3 different cultures.
8. Prepare a report about sheep in literature.
9. Prepare a report about sheep in music.
Use these links to learn more about sheep and the wool they produce.
 Handing out this assignment before
visiting the farm will encourage students to pay greater attention to the
animals they are to prepare a report on.
1. Prepare a report about Dairy Cows.
2. Prepare a report about Pigs.
3. Prepare a report about Horses.
4. Prepare a report about Goats.
5. Prepare a report about Chickens.
6. Prepare a report about Domestic Ducks and Geese.
The following research projects are aimed at different education levels.
Choose the range of projects that best suit your class and have the students
pick the topic that most appeals to them.
Group #1
1. Compare the methods of production of woolen and felt goods today with
production of those foods 100 years ago.
2. What were the Enclosures in England in the 18th and 19th centuries?
Group #2
1. What were the Enclosures in England in the 18th and 19th centuries? How
are they related to sheep? What was their significance for Canada?
2. How does climate affect your parents income? How does climate affect
farmers' incomes? Be specific.
3. List the tasks that must be done 7 days a week on a farm. What times
of day must these tasks be done? How does that affect one's
lifestyle?
4. What is the significance of the Woolsack in the British House of Lords?
5. What is a farm in Ontario? How would the definition vary in 1900, in
1940 and in 1990? Discuss: specialization, size, productivity and profit,
type of equipment, cost of equipment, climate etc.
6. How do the following affect Canadian farms...especially farms in
Ontario...and
even more specifically, sheep farms in Ontario: government regulations;
marketing boards; international trade; taxes and tariffs; exports and
imports?
Group #3
1. What is a farm in Ontario? How would the definition vary in 1900, in
1940 and in 1990? Discuss specialization, size productivity and profit,
type of equipment, cost of equipment, climate etc.
2. How do the following affect Canadian farms...especially farms in
Ontario...and
even more specifically, sheep farms in Ontario: government regulations; marketing
boards; international trade; taxes and tariffs; exports and imports?
3. What are the environmental concerns of Ontario farmers? Is organic or
hydroponic farming economically and environmentally practicable? What are
the advantages to the consumer? Is there any way to reduce the higher retail
price? What products from Ontario farms have difficulty competing because
of international markets? What can be done to help our local farmers?
4. What are the factors that influence the retail cost of food and the price
that the farmer receives?
5.What are the factors that influence the retail cost of wool and meat from
sheep and the price that the farmer receives?
Group #4
1. What are the factors that influence the retail cost of food and the price
that the farmer receives?
2. What are the factors that influence the retail cost of wool and meat
from sheep and the price that the farmer receives?
3. Compare urban and rural costs and availability of: telephone, electricity,
water, sewage disposal, garbage pick-up, education, medical care, fire
department
response time, police response time and ambulance response time.
4. Why are so many dairy farms closing down? Discuss changes in consumer
choices as well as economic factors.
Math Projects
The following math projects will help students achieve a better understanding
of how a farm works. There are two levels of questions geared towards students
of different grades. Pick the questions that best suits your students' education
level.
Group #1
1. A horse drinks between 2 and 4 buckets of water a day. A bucket is about
12 litres. How many litres of water does a horse drink in a week?
2. If the average Jersey cow produces 6,000 litres of milk in a year, that
is the equivalent of 24,000 glasses of milk.
a) How many glasses are there in one litre?
b) How many cows would be needed to supply this class with milk for one
year?
c) How many cows would be needed to supply this school with milk for one
year?
Group #2
1. A cow that is also fed grain and silage will produce at least 3 times
more milk than if she were fed only hay and pasture grass. Given the cost
of the additional food, and the price that the farmer receives for the milk,
is it a worthwhile investment for him/her? Try contacting government agencies
and departments for statistics to help you solve this problem.
2. It takes 20 litres of whole milk to produce 1 kg of butter. It takes
10 litres of whole milk to produce 1 kg of American cheese.
a) What is the ratio of milk needed to produce butter to that needed for
cheese?
b) How much whole milk is needed to produce 500 grams of butter?
c) How much milk is needed to produce 3/4 of a kilogram of American cheese?
Study a pumpkin and make a chart describing the seed, pulp and flesh of the
pumpkin. Include quantitative (size, number of seeds, weight, etc.) and
qualitative (colour, texture, odour, etc.) descriptions of each part of the
pumpkins.
The Wagon Ride
It's never too early to begin a student's education in geography. The
wagon ride provides students with an excellent opportunity to learn how to
map out their travels using a variety of different methods.
The following exercise will help improve the mapping skills of
students. Observe the route which Farmer Anthony takes with the wagon
and keep track of the landmarks you encounter on their ride. Map the route
and introduce symbols as methods of marking where significant objects are
such as trees, wool shop, picnic tables, strawberry patch, etc.
Planting and Harvesting
Here's some material designed to give students a better understanding of
life cycle of plants from seed to harvest through the observations of
raspberries, pumpkins and other produce they see at Puck's Farm. The seed
planting and harvesting projects are designed to be given to students
before they tour the farm for completion on their return to the classroom.
Knowing their assignments before hand helps the students to ask the right
questions on their visit. The class projects are designed to be spread out
over a longer period of time providing students with a hands-on approach to
learning about plants. Seed oriented math problems are also included in
this section to help students understand how math applies to everyday
life.
Berry Picking. Observe and record the growth of a raspberry plant
from a fruit.
Seed Planting. Pick one of the following projects to be completed
one week after returning from the trip to Puck's Farm.
1. Find out what plants are grown on the farm and which ones are seeded and
which ones are grown by another method (such as transplants). Give a
presentation explaining what types of plants are grown at Puck's Farm and
the different ways of starting them.
Pumpkin Projects
2. Observe the characteristics of at least five different types of seeds,
including pumpkin seeds, and record your findings in a chart. Be sure to
record both quantititive (height, width) as well as qualitative (colour,
shape, taste, odour) observations.
Sight (looks like a raindrop)
Touch (smooth like a banana)
Smell (smells like a pumpkin)
Taste (tastes nutty)
3. Illustrate a series of pictures entitled "The Needs of Seeds When
Planted". Included in the pictures should be references to water, light,
warmth, food, soil and care. Don't forget to tell your classmates where the
food for the plants comes from. i.e. manure.
4. Record the life cycle of a pumpkin or any other plants you saw growing
at Puck's Farm from seed to maturity as if you were the pumpkin. Remember
to ask you host important questions about life as a plant (like how long it
takes a pumpking to mature, how often you water them etc.) so that you will
know when writing your story.
5. Is a pumpkin a fruit or a vegetable? How about a tomato? While
visiting Puck's Farm, find out what types of plants are grown on the farm.
Then find out what characteristics are needed for a plant to be considered
a fruit, a vegetable or an herb. Classify each of the plants grown at
Puck's Farm.
6. Go to the library and find out the history of the jackolantern. Write a
report explaining all of the important information about its past including
when and where it was first used, any superstitions that surround it, and
why it is associated with Hallowe'en.
7. Take a look around Puck's Farm and see if you can see any other plants
that look like pumpkins. If you can't see any be sure to ask the Puck's
farmers what other plants they grow that are similar to pumpkins. Find
pictures of all the plants that are similar to pumpkins and make a
collage.
8. At the end of the year the growing season is drawing to a close. It is a
very busy time of the year on the farm. There are other tasks on the farm
to attend to as well as pumpkin harvesting. Name a few of the other tasks
necessary at this time of year and explain how they are done. E.g. winter
protection.
Recipes
Pumpkin Cookies
Sugar: 1/2 cup (125 ml.)
Margarine 1/2 cup (125 ml.)
Cooked Pumpkin 1/2 cup (125 ml.)
Vanilla 1 tsp (5 ml.)
Egg 1
All-purpose flour 1 cup (250 ml.)
Baking powder 1/2 tsp (2 ml.)
Salt 1/4 tsp (1 ml.)
Cinnamon 1/2 tsp (2 ml.)
Ginger 1/4 tsp (1 ml.)
Nutmeg 1/4 tsp (1 ml.)
Raisins 1/2 cup (125 ml.)
Chopped nuts 1/2 cup (125 ml.) (Optional)
Heat oven to 350F.
In a large bowl, combine first five ingredients and mix well.
Stir in flour, baking powder, spices and salt until well blended. Stir
in raisins and nuts. Drop batter in rounded teaspoons onto an ungreased
cookie sheet spacing each cookie two inches apart.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
Pumpkin Muffins
All-purpose flour 1-1/2cups (375 ml.)
Baking powder 1 tsp. (5 ml.)
Baking soda 1 tsp. (5 ml.)
Salt 1/2 tsp. (2 ml.)
Cinnamon 1/2 tsp. (3 ml.)
Nutmeg 1/2 tsp. (2 ml.)
Ginger 1/2 tsp. (2 ml.)
Raisins 1/2 cup (125 ml.)
Egg 1
Granulated sugar 1/4 cup (50 ml.)
Cooking oil 1/3 cup (75 ml.)
Cooked pumpkin 1 cup (250 ml.)
Milk 1/4 cup (60 ml.)
Combine the first eight ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir
thoroughly. Make a well in the centre of the mixture.
Beat egg in a small bowl until frothy.
Add sugar, oil, pumpkin and milk into the egg and beat until well mixed.
Pour mixture into the well in the dry ingredients.
Stir until blended but not smooth.
Pour batter into a greased muffin tin until each cup is 3/4 full. Bake in
a 400F (200C) oven for 20 minutes or until done.
Let stand five minutes before removing from pan. Serve warm.
Makes 14 muffins.
Drama Projects
Pumpkin Harvesting at Puck's Farm
Act out the story of a pumpkin at Puck's Farm from the time it is picked by
until it reaches its final destination by miming the actions necessary to
tell the whole story. Ask the Puck's farmer what the final use of these
pumpkins could be and pick the ending that you like the best.
With a partner, show the class how you planted seeds at Puck's Farm. While
one of you is telling the story one step at a time, the other will perform
the actions that go along with the story. Remember, the other students
were at the farm with you so you'll have to make it interesting.
Choose one of the following activities to mime. Have the other students
guess what you're doing.
Milking Cows by Hand
Riding a Horse
Making a Fire
Shearing Sheep
A Cat Cleaning Itself
A Duck Drinking Water
A Fowl Laying Eggs
Riding a Tractor
Picking Pumpkins
Picking Strawberries
A Wagon Ride
Lunch Time at Puck's
A Dog Scratching Itself
Spinning
Weaving
Cutting Wood
A Cat Fight
A Fox at the Hen House
Racoons at Garbage
Butter-making at Puck's
The Barn Tour
Best Activity at Puck's
Mouse Coming out of hole being very careful to avoid cat
Art Projects
Make a model of the Puck's Farm pumpkin patch using play dough or
plasticine. Show how the pumpkins are stored after picking. Be sure to
include little models of yourself and your friends.
Make pumpkin shaped booklets to tell about your trip to Puck's Farm. Make
sure you include all the activities that you did on the farm including
picking pumpkins.
Make a stand up pony.
Stand-Up Pony
1. Fold a piece of light cardboard in half.
2. Draw a pony on half the cardboard with a pencil.
3. Cut out the animal.
4. Add details like the eyes, ears and tail.
5. Tell a story about your pony ride at Puck's Farm as you walk your stand up pony along. Transfer your story into your project book or journal in writing.
Make a poster to show how the farm animals move (fly, swim, run, jump).
Students may use hand drawn or magazine pictures to enhance the posters.
Model animals that hatch eggs. Place in egg-shaped containers such as
panty hose containers or cut up egg cartons. Allow pupils to hatch their
animal explaining what is occurring.
Giving an art assignment before the trip
often encourages students to be
more attentive to details and to make appropriate notes. Bring a sketchbook.
1. Make a plasticine diorama or model of farm.
2. Draw an animal using a photo of your own face.
3. Make stuffed animals.
4. Make pasta animals such as macaroni sheep.
5. Make papier mache animals.
6. Junk animals: Make animals from recycled materials.
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