Teaching With
A Day on the Farm

In this program, the characters spend a day on the farm discovering shapes, letters, colors and sounds in addition to learning about life on a farm. The program includes many musical numbers that are easy for children to learn in addition to some standard children’s songs. A Day on the Farm is composed of Pre-K and Life Experience Objectives (see our Concepts page) as outlined below.

Hay Making Module
In this learning module, Pete and Emmett work at a hay bale machine and play a learning game where they guess (from each other’s clues) objects made from hay. The actual clues are set to music and sung by the children singers. Upon guessing each object, Pete and Emmett sound out the first letter sound of the word, then name of the object appears on the screen as the children voices (off screen) provide the answer.

This module transitions into a Life Experience Module on haymaking. Here, we see the major elements in growing, cutting, drying and bundling hay. We also see and learn how hay is used as a major source of food for animals as well as natural bedding material.

Pre-K Objectives
> Sounding out first letter sounds
> Associating alphabet letters with the sound
> Identifying object names from visual and auditory clues
> Basic spelling

Greenhouse Module
In this learning module, Maria helps Reginald see the beauty in objects by looking closely at the things around us. They play a learning game where each identifies an animal from picture clues which contain detailed close-ups of the animal as well as a rhyme that provides auditory clues. Children voices (off screen) provide the answer as a full-screen image of the animal appears.
Maria also speaks several words and phrases in Spanish, while immediately providing the English translation. This English-Spanish translation is carried off in a subtle manner rather than a formal instruction.

Pre-K Objectives
> Identifying animals from detailed picture and auditory clues
> Basic Spanish-English translation

Using Objectives in the Classroom
Pictures of animals may be cut up and put into a pile. Children pull a piece out and try to guess the animal. This exercise works with just about any animal as well as any object. The ease of the learning game will be determined by the size and details present in the cut piece.

Equestrian Module
In this module, children see and experience other children as they learn the basics of riding, show jumping and caring for their horse.

Life experience Objectives
> Seeing children ride horses
> Experiencing show jumping
> Learning about caring for horses

Farmstand Module
In this module, Emmett shops at Pete’s farmstand for the upcoming picnic lunch. Clues to items needed are sung to music by children singers. Each item is associated with the item name, its spelling, color and quantity. In addition, Pete plays a short first-letter sound game with himself in the scene opening, reinforcing how easy and fun it is to guess the first letter sounds from things we see. This scene is very visual graphically and shows object relationships during the clue giving portion of the learning game.

Pre-K Objectives
> Colors
> Quantities and numerals
> Spelling
> First letter sounds

Life experience Objectives
> Seeing fruits and vegetables in a farmstand setting

Using Objectives in the Classroom
Examples of various foods may be presented to children. They then guess the name and color. Add several of each kind and guess the quantities. Add and take away items to cover basic math skills.

Lunchtime Song
This fun musical number shows animals doing what they do best - eating! It is a visual review set to music of various animals in their natural environment.

Life experience Objectives
> Seeing animals in their natural environment

Shapes Module
In this module, Wilma searches for the oval shape among various shapes visual on the screen. Several animated farm scenes are presented where Reginald prompts Wilma and the viewer to identify shapes within the scene. Answers are given by the children voices (off screen) and highlighted on the screen.

The storyline for this scene is Wilma is looking for precious gems on a farm and was told to look for ovals to find the gems. The gems turn out to be baby chicks and the Shapes Module resolves itself into scenes of chickens and baby chicks.

Pre-K Objectives
> Identifying shapes in a drawing of a farm scene
> Quantities and numbers

Life experience Objectives
> Seeing chickens, roosters and baby chicks
> Look closely for the baby bunnies!

Using Objectives in the Classroom
Shapes may be identified from pictures, items in view, items outside a window and just about anywhere children can see. Turning this game into an “I SPY” game is a great way to break up a long trip or spend a period of time.

Old MacDonald Module
In this module, Pete and Maria try to guess the name of animals from the sounds they make. The learning game is set to the song “Old MacDonald” and contains sounds, visual clues and children voices (off screen) to prompt the viewer.

Pre-K Objectives
> Identifying animals by their sounds
> Identifying animals by their silhouettes
> Spelling

Life experience Objectives
> Seeing cows and ducks

Using Objectives in the Classroom
Sounding out animal sounds for children to guess the animal is one way to teach animal sounds. You may also show pictures and have the children guess both the animal and the sound it makes.

Dairy Farm Module
This life experience module transitions from the Old MacDonald module to focus on life on a dairy farm. Viewers experience how cows are milked, fed and cared for on a large-scale dairy farm.

Life experience Objectives
> Seeing cows in a dairy farm setting
> Understanding the basic flow of milk from the cow to the milk glass

Honey Farm Module
In this closing module, viewers are taken into the heart of a honey farm where honey is cultivated and queen bees are grown and bread for sale to other honey producers. The visuals in this module conveys the feeling of being in an environment of millions of buzzing bees within a small area. The results are not only fascinating, but tasty!

Life experience Objectives
Seeing honey bees making honey
Seeing other children display tremendous responsibilities