LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Read about the experience of three teens who moved from the suburbs to a farm; identify the challenges and benefits of living on a farm; distinguish facts from myths about farm life.

HEALTH ED STANDARDS

NHES 2: Analyze the influence of family, peers, and culture on health behaviors.

CASEL COMPETENCY: Social awareness

KEY VOCAB

compost

body language

accountable

Lesson Plan: Our Life On a Farm

Three years ago, Lorenzo, 16, Francesca, 14, and Sofia, 12, traded their typical suburban routine for life on a farm. Want to know what life is like waking up with the chickens and cuddling cows after school? Read on.

PREPARING TO READ

Before you read the article “Our Life On a Farm,” ask your students the following pre-reading question:

What are the benefits and drawbacks of life on a farm?

READING AND DISCUSSION

  • Have your students read the article “Our Life On a Farm”; read the article out loud to them; or have students partner-read the article out loud.
  • After they’ve read the article, revisit the pre-reading question. Have their answers changed?

BUILDING COMPREHENSION AND VOCAB

Check students’ comprehension of and engagement with the story with the following assessment tools:

  • Comprehension Quiz
  • Vocab Builder

EXPANDING SEL OPPORTUNITIES

Continue the learning journey with the following writing prompt:

In MY LIFE ON A FARM, have students write two or three journal entries, totaling one to two pages, from the perspective of Lorenzo, Francesca, or Sofia. In each entry, they should choose different parts of the Cardarellis’ experience to focus on. For example, they could imagine the thoughts and feelings of one of the teens when they first found out they’d be moving to a farm, then consider the same teen’s thoughts and feelings after living on the farm for a few months. Remind students to use a mix of their own thoughts as well as ideas from the article as they write.

Print the Lesson Plan

Text-to-Speech