The Farm Circle Curriculum Extension

Want to go in more depth about agriculture with your students? Following or as an alternative to Whatcom Farm Circle, we are now offering an Agriculture Curriculum that aligns with 3rd and 4th grade Science, Math, English, and Social Studies Standards.

The purpose of the Whatcom Agriculture Units will be to provide local and applicable resources for teachers. These unit plans provide an array of classroom activities and learning strategies, and are designed by a former agriculture teacher. In addition, the various activities supplement other learning standards for teachers to practice with their students such as graphing, finding locations on a map, and reading comprehension. All aspects of the lessons are focused on Whatcom County red raspberry production and Whatcom County dairy production. Click the links below to explore and download the lesson plans. For more information and questions, please email us at whatcomfarmcircle@gmail.com

Whatcom Dairy Unit

Lesson 1 – Cow Care

  • Identify and describe common cow and calf care practices on dairy farms
  • Analyze articles about dairy farming practices and report their findings
  • Understand that dairy farming is not just a job, it is a science and a lifestyle

Lesson 2 – Cow Climate

  • Identify the characteristics of a cow’s habitat
  • Discuss why Whatcom County is an ideal climate for dairy cows
  • Design a cow habitat

Lesson 3 – Cow to Carton

  • Define homogenization, pasteurization, and fortification.
  • Organize the proper steps of milk production.
  • Explain why each step in milk production is important.

Teacher Testimonials

I loved how the students had to work together with a partner on multiple tasks. They not only work on the specific learning objective, but they also have to learn to work together.

In our literacy curriculum, we learn sequencing and the Cow to Carton lesson had the same goal! What a great coincidence!

My students learned more about cow care and all that goes into taking care of a cow.

My students loved reading the article and making a poster about the things they learned from the article!

When the students learned these farmers were local, that created even more engagement. The students went wild when they saw the Milky Way truck in one of the videos, too. I love that local connection.

Students loved visiting the cows and going in the middle of the milking carousel.

Whatcom Raspberry Unit

Lesson 1 – Raspberry Life Cycle

  • Identify examples of berries grown in Whatcom County
  • Explain and draw the life cycle of a raspberry plant
  • Apply life cycle concepts to other plants 
  • Create a model of the plant life cycle
  • Compare and contrast types of berries

Lesson 2 – Raspberry History & Geography

  • Describe the relationship between plants and their environment
  • Explain why Whatcom County climate provides the best environment for raspberry production
  • Identify the countries where berries are grown around the world

Lesson 3 – Plants & Their Environment

  • Explain how raspberries are harvested
  • Describe the basic lifestyle of a plant
  • Understand how changes in the environment can impact plant growth
  • Understand why Whatcom County is an ideal environment for raspberry production

Lesson 4 – Raspberry Nutrition

  • Identify examples of how raspberries are processed, packaged, and eaten
  • Compare and contrast different ways to use raspberries
  • Describe the nutritional benefits of raspberries

Thank you to our Curriculum Sponsors