Have you ever looked at a carton of eggs or a bag of apples and thought about everything that happened before it reached your kitchen? On a farm, there are animals to care for, crops to grow, and plenty of work to do before food makes its way to our tables. There’s so much for kids to learn from the foods they already know and love!
I’m excited to share our On the Farm Family Unit Study with you – a hands-on farm unit study for kids! Across 10 topics, you’ll learn about farm animals, barns, tractors, apple orchards, and harvest celebrations around the world. You’ll visit a grocery store to trace foods back to the farm, design a chicken coop, make your own applesauce, give a sheep a fluffy yarn coat, and even plan a harvest party.
Ready to see what’s happening on the farm? Below, I’m sharing all ten topics and a peek at the hands-on activities you’ll enjoy together.
What is a Family Unit Study?
But first… what exactly is a Family Unit Study?
The unit study, like all of our ever-growing library of unit studies, takes one big theme—The Farm—and breaks it down into ten manageable, bite-sized learning topics. This format gives you the freedom to dive into learning at a pace that works for your family. Perhaps you do one topic per day, perhaps one per week. Whatever suits your fancy! You can learn and explore topics from start to finish in about 1-2 hours each.
Dive in and watch the sparks of wonder ignite. Watch the child-led learning take off. Watch what happens when children are engaged in what they are learning!
Each of the 10 topics includes:
- an interesting fact,
- a discussion question,
- informative information,
- a curated YouTube video,
- a recommended book,
- a math or literacy enrichment question (with three difficulty levels),
- and an ultimate-can’t-be-beat hands-on activity!
Plus, all subjects are covered across the 10 topics! Geography, History, Science, Social Studies, Music, Art, Health, Literacy, and Math.
When everything connects across subjects, learning just makes more sense. Kids remember more, understand better, and actually enjoy the process. It’s the kind of learning that really sticks. 🙌
Before we head to the farm, I’d love to share a little something to make your homeschool days just a bit easier (because we all need that, right?).
Our Mini Homeschool Toolbox is a simple, go-to resource filled with helpful printables – like math charts, number lines, and writing supports – to keep your days organized and your lessons running smoothly.
It’s completely free and so handy to have on hand as you move through your homeschool routine. Simply enter your email address below, and a copy will be instantly delivered to your inbox.
On the Farm Family Unit Study
Pull on your boots, it’s time for some farm fun! Let’s take a closer look at what’s inside the On the Farm Family Unit Study.
Topic #1: From Farm to Table
How does the food in your grocery cart make its way from the farm to your table? Take a trip to your local grocery store and look at foods from different sections, tracing their ingredients back to the crops and animals they came from. You might be surprised by how many farm products are hiding in your favorite foods!
Topic #2: Fantastic Farm Animals
From chickens laying eggs to dogs protecting the flock, farm animals each have a job to do! After learning about their roles, you will go on a farm animal scavenger hunt, searching for hidden cards and matching the females, males, and babies in each animal family.
Topic #3: The Big Red Barn
What would a farm be without its barn? It gives animals shelter and the farmer a place to store crops and machinery. After learning why barns are so useful, you’ll follow the step-by-step drawings to make a barn of your own. And, if you’re up for an extra challenge, try drawing it in perspective!
Topic #4: Dairy Cows
Milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream… so many favorites start with dairy cows! You’ll learn how milk gets from the farm to your glass, then try your hand at “milking” a cow using a water-filled glove and a bowl. Can you squeeze out every last drop?
Topic #5: Chickens
Cluck, cluck! Chickens give us fresh eggs, but they also need a safe place to lay them and roost at night. You’ll learn what belongs in a chicken coop, then design and build your own, or draw one with nesting boxes, roosts, and room for the chickens to roam.
Topic #6: Pigs
Why do pigs roll in the mud? It helps them cool off! After learning more about these clever farm animals, you’ll make colorful playdough and create a muddy pigsty diorama, complete with a pig, a patch of mud, and any other farmyard details you’d like to add.
Topic #7: Apples
Crunchy red, yellow, and green apples all grow in orchards, but how do they become the applesauce in your bowl? You’ll learn a little about where apples came from and how farmers grow different varieties, then chop, cook, and mash apples to make a tasty batch of your own.
Topic #8: Sheep
How does a sheep’s fluffy fleece become the wool in a sweater? You’ll learn how farmers shear sheep and turn their wool into yarn, then try finger knitting with white yarn to give your own sheep craft a wonderfully woolly coat!
Topic #9: Tractors
Plowing, planting, harvesting… tractors help farmers tackle all sorts of jobs! You’ll learn about different kinds of farm machinery, choose one that catches your eye, and make an infographic with a picture and interesting facts.
Topic #10: Harvest Festival
How do families celebrate the food grown and gathered each year? You’ll learn about harvest festivals around the world, then plan a celebration of your own, choosing the food, games, decorations, and guests. You’ll even make invitations to get everyone excited for the party!
And there you have it: ten farm topics with plenty for your family to talk about, make, and try together!
From searching for farm animal families and drawing a big red barn to “milking” a cow and making a muddy pigsty, the On the Farm Family Unit Study gives you a hands-on way to see what life on a farm is like. You might even finish with homemade applesauce and plans for a harvest party!
I’d love for you to pop over to the shop, take a closer look, and see if this unit study is a good fit for your family!
On the Farm Family Unit Study
https://shop.howweelearn.com/products/family-unit-study-on-the-farm
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Thanks so much for reading, friend!
xo
Sarah
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