This activity is from the new LandLearn teaching and learning resource Fact and Fiction 2 which is found on the LandLearning CD. Activities in this resource are designed to encourage and support teachers with literacy activities that link to school gardens, healthy eating, indigenous culture, farming, climate and changes in the landscape.

Farm Tails
Trish Bryant
Eggman Press, 2001

Summary
This book contains an array of poems about farm life, including early morning wake-up requirements, droughts, possums on the roof and a snake on the verandah.

Suitable for
Middle and Upper Primary

Activities

• Analyse the structure of the poetry as written and discuss writing styles.
• Have children write their own poem about something with which they are familiar, using a similar style to that in the book.
• Provide a starting line of poetry, written on a large sheet of paper.  For example:  The crop planting was finished, but the worry had just begun… 
• Conduct a brain storming session on situations such as drought, birds eating the seed, pests eating the leaves, wind storms, floods, etc that could face the farmer before the crop is harvested. 
• Encourage children to add lines to the poem on the large sheet.
• Encourage children to illustrate the poem as it develops.
• Visit a farm or ask a local farmer to visit your class as a guest speaker and discuss with the farmer situations that occur throughout the year that make farming a challenge.
• Organise a visit to an Agricultural Show to see different aspects of agriculture and farming life.
• Ask students to draw a picture of a farmer or farming life.  Discuss the idea of stereotypes with students.  What stereotypes are demonstrated in student artwork? Explore how students might modify their drawings. 

Related Landlearn activities
Environmental Education Activities based on Fact & Fiction from the LandLearn Resource Booklets CD. Contact us at landlearn.program@dpi.vic.gov.au to find out how to obtain a copy.

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