April Foolishness Lessons - Illinois Ag in the Classroom

Don’t be a fool!! This lesson booklet is a great story choice for April Fool’s Day
or a farm-themed unit. These hands-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, math and language arts. All lessons
and activities are correlated to the Common Core State Standards and the Next
Generation Science Standards and are designed to complement 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
Writing
Science
Social Studies
Reading
Art
Math
Health and Nutrition
Learning Standards
Beautiful Bovine
Common Core State Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.K.1; L.K.6; SL.K.6; SL.1.1; SL.1.2;
SL.1.3; SL.1.4
Next Generation Science Standards:
Earth and Human Activity: K-ESS3-1
From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes:
K-LS1-1
The Cows Are Loose
Common Core State Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.K.2; W.K.1; W.K.8
Next Generation Science Standards:
Engineering Design: K-2-ETS1
Moo Masks
The Chickens are Out
Common Core State Standards:
CCSS.Math.Content.K.OA.A.1; K.OA.A.2; K.OA.A.3;
K.OA.A.5; K.MD.B.3
Common Core State Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.K.1; L.K.2; L.1.1; L.1.2; SL.K.3;
SL.K.5; W.K.2; W.K.3; W.K.5; W.K.7
Next Generation Science Standards:
From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes:
K-LS1-1
Earth and Human Activity: K-ESS3-1
The Pigs Broke the Gate
Colorful Fleeces
Common Core State Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.K.2; SL.K.3; SL.K.5
Common Core State Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.K.1; L.1.1; SL.K.1; SL.K.2; SL.K.3;
SL.K.4; SL.K.6; SL.1.1; SL.1.2; SL.1.3; SL.1.4
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.
Common Core State Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.K.1; L.K.6; SL.K.6; SL.1.1; SL.1.2; SL.1.3; SL.1.4
Next Generation Science Standards:
Earth and Human Activity: K-ESS3-1
From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes: K-LS1-1
Suggested Reading Material:
All Around the Farm by Parachute Press (ISBN-13: 9780756629779)
Amazing Grazing by Cris Peterson (ISBN-13:9781590788684)
Cock-a-doodle-doo! Barnyard Hullabaloo by Giles Andreae ( ISBN-13: 9781589253872)
Beef Ag Mag available at www.agintheclassroom.org
Materials:
Surgical glove
Tissues or cotton balls
Vest - leather/fur
Masking Tape/Duct Tape
Yarn
Large bag
Elastic
Cardboard
Fly swatter
Four balloons
Four socks
Plastic headband
Chewing gum
Sandpaper
Directions:
1. Assemble the pretend parts of a cow as follows:
 Udder - Tuck the thumb of the surgical glove inside then stuff the glove with tissues or cotton
balls. Attach yarn to tie around the student/volunteer’s waist.
 Horns and ears - Cut cardboard in the shape of a cow's ears and horns, and attach them to a
plastic headband using masking tape or duct tape.
 Hooves - Cut four cardboard hoof prints and attach them to the bottoms of the four socks using
masking tape or duct tape. These will go on the student/volunteer’s hands and feet.
 Tongue - Cut sandpaper in the shape of a tongue and attach yarn to hang around the student/
volunteer’s head.
 Stomach - Blow up four balloons and tie them together with yarn leaving long the ends longer to
tie around the student/volunteer’s waist. The four balloons will represent the four compartments
of a cow’s stomach.
 Tail - Tie the fly swatter to a piece of yarn to tie around the student/volunteer's waist.
 Gum - Give student/volunteer a piece of chewing gum to chew as "cud”.
 Hide - Place the vest on the student/volunteer to represent the hide of a cow.
2. Ask one of your students to volunteer to be dressed up to look like a cow, or 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. What characteristics of a cow help them survive in their environment?
The Cows are Loose
Objective: Students will have an understanding of the process by which milk becomes butter.
Common Core State Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.K.2; W.K.1; W.K.8
Next Generation Science Standards:
Engineering Design: K-2-ETS1
Suggested Reading Material:
Hooray for Dairy Farming by Bobbie Kalman (ISBN-13: 9780865056640)
Clarabelle by Cris Peterson (ISBN-13: 9781620915905)
The Butter Battle Book by Dr. Seuss (ISBN-13: 9780394865805)
Dairy Ag Mag available at www.agintheclassroom.org
Materials:
Baby food jars or small Tupperware (with lid)
8 oz carton of whipping cream
Child-safe knife for spreading
A bowl
Salt
Bread or crackers
Directions:
1. Pour the whipping cream into the jar or Tupperware until it is 2/3 full. Have students close the lid tightly.
2. Have students take turns shaking the jar vigorously.
3. After a few minutes, a lump should appear with the liquid separated from the lump. This lump 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 and enjoy it for a snack.
8. Ask students to write about making butter and their favorite part of the experience.
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,
Rich and creamy too,
With milk from a cow’s udder
Before you can say moo.
Chorus:
So shake it, shake it, shake it,
Shake it if you can
Shake it like a milkshake,
And shake it once again.
Put some cream into a jar,
You can add a marble or two,
Make sure the lid is on tightly,
That’s all you have to do.
We're learning and we're churning,
Hey this is lots of fun!
It's easy to make butter,
Let's eat it when it's done.
Chorus:
Oh listen very carefully,
It's sounding different now,
Hooray it's finally butter!
Be sure to thank the cow.
Chorus:
Chorus:
Lesson Extender:
Have students try making butter with whole milk or 2% milk and note the difference between the heavy whipping
cream and the milk.
Moo Masks
Objective: Students will demonstrate an ability to identify types of cattle based on markings.
Common Core State Standards:
CCSS.Math.Content.K.OA.A.1; K.OA.A.2; K.OA.A.3; K.OA.A.5; K.MD.B.3
Suggested Reading Material:
Clarabelle by Cris Peterson (ISBN-13: 9781620915905)
Click, Clack, Moo by Doreen Cronin & Betsy Lewin (ISBN-13: 9781442433700)
Dairy Ag Mag available at www.agintheclassroom.org
Materials:
1 Large dinner plate
2 Small dessert plates
String
Glue or Staples
Construction Paper
Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
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. Attach string to the side of the mask to allow it to wrap around their heads.
6. Once your moo masks are complete, the students can use math to create their own custom ear tags to
identify their cows:
 Have the students write out their first and last names.
 With their names in front of them, have each student write the number of letters in both their first
and last names.
 Then have the students add the number of letters in their first name to the number of letters in
their last name.
*It may be helpful to provide the students with a guide like this:
__________ + _____________ = ____________
(# in first name)
(# in last name)
(Total)
 When the student correctly adds the numbers in his/her name, have him/her write the numbers
on the cow tag. Then attach it to the ear of his/her moo mask.
Michelle + Brown = 13
(8)
+ (5)
8513
The Chickens Are Out!
Objective: Students will demonstrate an ability to trace letters and will understand the life cycle of a
chicken.
Common Core State Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.K.1; L.K.2; L.1.1; L.1.2; SL.K.3; SL.K.5; W.K.2; W.K.3; W.K.5;
W.K.7
Next Generation Science Standards:
From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes: K-LS1-1
Earth and Human Activity: K-ESS3-1
Suggested Reading Material:
Jen the Hen by Sue Graves (ISBN-13: 9780439025539)
Chicks and Salsa by Aaron Reynolds (ISBN-13: 9781599900995)
Big Chickens by Leslie Helakoski (ISBN-13: 9780142410578)
An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Hutts Aston (ISBN-13: 9781452131481)
The Chicken-Chasing Queen of Lamar County by Janice N. Harrington (ISBN-13: 9780374312510)
Poultry Terra Nova available at www.agintheclassroom.org
Materials:
Templates: Page A, A1, B, C
Stapler
Large oval plate
Glue
Pens/pencils
Markers, crayons or colored pencils
Interest Approach
Call your local Agricultural Literacy Coordinator (found at www.agintheclassroom.org) or your local U of I
Extension office and ask to borrow their incubators to hatch chicks in your classroom. They may be able to give
you a contact to obtain eggs for hatching as well. But hurry! Spots for checking out the incubators fill up
quickly!
Background Information:
Using the Poultry Terra Nova, have a class discussion about chickens and egg laying. Talk about the process
of hatching eggs naturally (by allowing the hen to sit on her eggs) vs. using incubators. Look at the
development stages of a chick inside the egg.
 It takes a hen approximately one day (24-26 hours) to produce an egg.
 Laying hens sit on eggs for 21 days until they hatch.
Directions:
1. Copy the templates for each student.
2. Have students follow directions to cut out their tracing page (Page A) or their story page (Page A1), chick
(Page B), and egg (Page C).
3. Page A: Have students trace the words that relate to chickens, or for more advanced writers, use Page A1
and have them write a story as if they were a baby chick hatching from an egg. Tell students to use the
information shared about hatching eggs naturally vs. incubators and how long it takes a baby chick to hatch.
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.
A1
1. Imagine you are a chick hatching from the egg. On
the lines provided, write a story about what you saw,
felt, and did before and after hatching.
2. Cut on bold lines.
The Pigs Broke the Gate
Objective: Students will demonstrate their knowledge of the parts of a pig and how pigs differ from
humans.
Common Core State Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.K.2; SL.K.3; SL.K.5
Suggested Reading Material:
Farm Animals by Melvin Berger ( ISBN-13: 9780545003940)
Mrs. Wishy, Washy's Farm by Joy Cowley (ISBN-13: 9780142402993)
Pork Ag Mag available at www.agintheclassroom.org
Materials:
Template (Could copy on pink paper)
Paper bag
Markers, colored pencils, crayons
Pink paint or construction paper
Glue
Scissors
Directions:
1. Read the books and then have a class discussion about pigs and the many different things that come
from pigs, both food and non-food.
2. Print out the template (You can print the template on pink paper if you choose!)
3. 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.
Colorful Fleeces
Objective: Students will have an understanding of the process by which wool is collected,
historical uses of wool, and the dying process.
Common Core State Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.K.1; L.1.1; SL.K.1; SL.K.2; SL.K.3; SL.K.4; SL.K.6; SL.1.1;
SL.1.2; SL.1.3; SL.1.4
Suggested Reading Material:
Hooray for Sheep Farming, by Bobbie Kalman (ISBN-13: 9780865056695)
Little Lamb by Piers Harper (ISBN-13: 9780439544290)
Sheep Terra Nova available at www.agintheclassroom.org
Additional Resources:
Check out Pendleton Woolen Mills, a sixth-generation family-owned business, for more information on wool
manufacturing:
http://www.pendleton-usa.com/assets/files/pdf/Pendleton_story.pdf (Page 8—From Fleece to Fashion)
http://www.pendleton-usa.com/assets/files/pdf/wool.pdf (for information on wool characteristics and fabrics)
Background Information:
Dyeing wool is the art of adding color to the material. People have dyed wool for centuries. Although
dyeing fiber started as a domestic activity, it became a commercial enterprise. The ancient Jewish nation
used blue thread, scarlet material, and wool dyed reddish purple for their religious 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 carpets 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!
1701 Towanda Ave.
Bloomington, IL 61701
Phone: 309-557-3334
www.agintheclassroom.org