Literacy
* Group students in pairs (by passing out tongue depressor and having them locate their partner) and read story and have students share their thoughts on questions asked (click here) before, during and after reading the story, plus narrative questions (click for pdf)
* Things to share after reading book, singing and chanting song.
a) Listen to the words I say and tell me if they rhyme… feed / house – feed / weed (select words from the song; feed; corn; hay; squish; flap, etc.)
b) Tell me a word that rhymes with _____________(repeat exercise with different words from the song)
c) I am going to say a word from the song and you tell me what letter it begins with (select word from song)
d) Listen to the word I say and lets count the syllables (clap, snap, pat or stomp syllables with the class)
e) I am going to say a sentence from the story / song and you continue where I left off.
Example: Did you feed my cow? _____________. What did you feed it? ______________. Did you milk her good? How did you milk her? ____________ (continue with song)
f) Once they are able to accomplish the task by phrases you can now do it by word. (T = Teacher and S = Students)
Example: (T) Did (S) you (T) feed (S) my (T) cow (continue with song)
* Complete Venn diagram and compare characteristics of the cow and the girl with similar characteristics in the middle (click for pdf)
* Complete a story map: title, setting, characters, problem, and solution.
* Use this song to practice echo reading, choral reading, buddy reading, and work on phonological awareness activities (click for example)
* As a class, create silly alliterative sentences. Example: The cow carried candy canes carrots
* Use this song to practice echo reading, choral reading, buddy reading, and work on phonological awareness activities. (click for example) create video
* Introduce the children to assorted vocabulary words like “milk”, “bull”, “dairy”, “scavengers”, “decomposition” and “udder”
Science
* Explain to the children that butter is made from the milk that the cows give. We pour whipping cream into baby food jars. Children shake the jars (super fast and hard 10 times each) until a ball of butter is formed in the jar. (Liquid and solid will separate. If jar seems full, open and pour our excess liquid. Cover and continue shaking). It will make butter! Add a pinch of salt and mix. Spread on crackers or bread. YUM! Chant this rhyme: Making Butter Boogie: Shake it up Shake it down Shake it, shake it all around. Shake it high Shake it low Shake it, shake it to and fro. Shake it over Shake it under Pretty soon, you’ll have butter! ~Author Unknown
* What is a Farm Theme without milking a cow? Materials Needed: 2 non-latex glove, a cow shape drawn out of sturdy cardboard, milk, bowl. Attach a glove to the bottom of the cow and discuss udders with the children. Take the second glove and pour a little milk into one of the fingers. Poke a hole in the finger with a common pin. Have the children squeeze the finger of the glove to milk the cow into the bowl
* What comes from a cow? Use grocery store flyers for kids to cut out foods that come from a cow and glue inside large cow display in the classroom.
Math
* Use printout to sequence what a cow eats, corn and hay. (click for pdf)
* Have students create black spots on cow using thumb and black ink pad. Once done, count spots with student and write number in the middle. (click for pdf)
* How much corn can your cow eat? Have kids glue pieces of corn to a paper plate and count the number they plan to feed their cow.
* Download and print 2 copies of cow and dairy product and play memory game (click for pdf)
* Children first mix and then taste-test three kinds of milk: vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate. Children decide on their favorite kind of milk, and put their name on the graph. We count to see which had the most/least/same
Social / Emotional
* Act out the song using stick puppets, masks or by assigning roles.(click for pdf)
* The children bring empty food packages or pictures of food from home. The children take turns showing the class what they brought. We discuss where the food comes from, and how a farm was involved in producing the food.
* Check out this great website for discussion topics and farm, cow, and dairy facts. Try the recipe for Rock and Roll Ice Cream! *The amazing dairy cow! (click for link)
* Discuss how milk gets from the farm to the table with this story. *Milk from cow to container, to store, to house then we drink it (click for pdf)
* Create cow mask and have teacher and students ask question (interview) to the cow (alternated students with mask). (click for pdf)
Sample questions
– How do you spell COW
– Do you give me coke or milk?
– Do you eat corn or meat?
– What else do you provide us?
– Have students come up with their questions….
* Fun Art Projects:
– Corn on the Cob Painting: Roll corn on the cob onto paint in shallow trays and then roll onto paper.
– Buttermilk Painting: Have the children dip chalk into buttermilk and then draw on paper. This makes a great effect!
– Straw Art: Provide lots of pieces of straw (hay) to paint with instead of brushes! When done, the children can glue the straw onto the paintings!
* Discussion questions can be talked about in a group or with partners as conversation practice. Have kids pick a colored Popsicle stick or card and match the color to find their partner. After talking, ask kids to answer questions about their partner
Topic A: How did the cow get sick? What’s a tick? What happened to the cow? Why did the buzzards come? Talk about life cycles and how buzzards make their living.
Topic B: Does this cow seem like a pet? Have you ever had a pet die? How did it make you feel?
Topic C: What are some of your favorite foods? Do they come from a cow?
Physical / Outdoor
* Sing or chant “Did you Feed my Cow” while incorporating signing to the song (click for video)
* Hop your way to the playground. Hop to the letters C-O-W, C-O-R-N, and H-A-Y
* Draw a cow on butcher paper and tape to wall and create a small tail to play pin the tail on the cow!
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