Duration: sessions; taught during the month of March

Transcription

1 Michele Barnhill Agriculture of Washington Duration: sessions; taught during the month of March Grade levels: Intermediate grades 3rd / 4th

2 Table of Contents Washington Facts 39,000 farms Also a major producer of farm forest products, fish and shellfish, raspberries and mint oils. Agriculture contributes 12% to the state s economy Exports the third largest total of agricultural products in the U.S. (2008) Native Americans Westward Expansion / Land Acquisition (mini lesson where teacher summarizes how settlers obtained land for homesteads/farms) Crops & Livestock Top Commodities (First in U.S. Production) Apples (59% of U.S. production) Cherries Hops Contract Farming Farm Equipment Handouts to be used by students throughout the unit Timeline Maps Vocabulary Crop Graph Farm Equipment Chart FIELD TRIPS Chewelah Farm Museum farm equipment Local Dairy milk /dairy production Farmer s Market local produce Grocery Store (speaker produce mgr)

3 Overview Students will learn about the geographical locations of specific Washington crops on maps with timelines of introduction of non-native crops and livestock. Students will also learn that local food production is essential to our food supply, contributes to the State economy, and is necessary for human survival. Background on Washington State Native American life is taught in November and only a review of those crops is necessary upon introducing the unit. This gives students the opportunity to make connections to the agricultural unit. Students will explore the variety of crops grown in Washington State locally and statewide using maps and various resources. Students will also explore the innovations in farm equipment since the early settlement of Washington State to modern day. Students will work in pairs and small groups and prepare short presentations to share the information they have researched with the class. A brief overview on the topics of land acquisition and contract farming will be given at the appropriate time. Field trips will be scheduled to further provide the opportunity for students to make real life connects to the agricultural concepts they are learning about. Finally, students will complete the Crop Circle graph to bring the history of agriculture into modern day. Understanding that our food originates somewhere else than the supermarket is important because if we did not have farmers and ranchers food products, we would be doing it on our own. Settlers did not have an easy time surviving back in the days of exploration of the west. There were not tractors and supermarkets when they arrived and built homesteads. It was hard physical work to plant, grow, harvest, and process the food needed to survive. That doesn t even include hunting and raising livestock. My hope is that students will develop a sense of appreciation for the farmer and rancher in that we do not have to sustain ourselves by growing, producing, and processing our food on our own property! Grocery stores of all kinds provide variety, accessibility, and convenience the settlers did not have.

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5 Activities Timelines introduced at the onset of the unit. 3 rd grade already has notations printed on it. All timelines have the year and hash mark indicators. 4 th grade write down the notations. All kids design icons directly on the timeline, adding color. Maps one North America continental map with westward expansion territories to be labeled by students. Settlements will also be labeled by students. Washington State map pre-labeled with major cities, landforms, rivers & lakes. Students place settlements markers & industrial & agricultural icons onto the map. Bulletin board maps of both maps above will be displayed and updated as students add to their maps. Agricultural Circle Graph as a handout to students & bulletin board. Students label sections with words & icons & percentages. Equipment Chart individually produced by students to include a picture, description, use, time span used. To be displayed in the classroom. Vocabulary glossaries and word lists will be provided to students to be used throughout the unit. (reference)

6 Bibliography 1. Linda Johns, Uniquely Washington. (Chicago, Illinois: Heinemann Library, 2004), 19, 41, P.M. Boeckhoff and Jonatha A. Brown, PORTRAITS OF THE STATES WASHINGTON. (Pleasantville, NY: Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2007), 5-9, 13, 21, Carole March, The Evergreen State of Washington map. (Gallopade International) Washington Annual Agricultural Bulletin (USDA/National Agricultural Statistical Service, Washington Field Office). 5. Washington State Department of Agriculture (AGR PUB ), (accessed September 8, 2010). 6. Wikipedia.org. Various articles as indicated in the resource documents for crops, farm equipment, and Washington Timeline lessons. (accessed June October 9, 2010). 7. WSU Libraries, Digital Collections (8 photos), (accessed September 28, 2010). 8. American Steel & Wire Company. American FIELD AND HOG FENCING AND..GATES, 1898, MAC Museum, Spokane, WA.