MISS MCDONALD HAS A FARM

Down on the Farm chat with Kalee Gwarjanski

Come enjoy a chat on the farm -- MISS MCDONALD'S FARM. You'll enjoy your visit, although it's not your traditional moo moo here. Instead, it's an E-I-E-I-Grow(ing) experience. Join debut author Kalee Gwarjanski and me as we chat about musical inspiration, an AHmazing path to publication, and lots of fun chatter about this fun fractured farming tale. And be sure to check out all the resources below!

MISS MACDONALD HAS A FARM

It's "Old MacDonald" with a twist. MacDonald isn't old, and it's  . . .a . . .girl!  And, she doesn't have lots of animals on her farm, but she does have lots of plants! E-I-E-I-GROW! This book is perfect for everyone who has a green thumb (or wishes they did); great for our youngest gardeners and farmers. Enjoy learning about plant life cycles and the farm to table experience in a fun, familiar and engaging way with this lovely female-forward version of a classic!

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

This instrumental version of "Old McDonald" is the perfect accompaniment to sing along with Kalee's version of MISS MCDONALD!  Grab your copy of the book, turn pages and sing along! You could also sing the traditional version of words or play one of the versions of Old MacDonald and compare/contrast.  Also you could have kids mix and match or write their own version of what they might find on farms in their geographical area. There are lots more musical pieces in the YouTube playlist in the links section for you to explore about all the themes in the book.

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

• Plant life cycles
  • Lettuce
  • Peas
  • Tomatoes
  • Zucchini
  • Potatoes
  • Green beans
  • Pumpkins
  • Corn
• Farm field trip! and/or . . .
• Guest speaker (local produce farmer, agricultural extension agent, etc.)
• Seed planting (STEM) -- lettuce and peas both grow fairly quickly. You could plant seeds for kids to take home or make a raised bed at school. (There are grants available for school gardens . . .) Cardboard egg cartons make great biodegradable seed starters. You can also use toilet paper/paper towel tubes and fold to create a bottom.
  • For math connections, measure growth and graph or chart it.
  • For science connections, create a journal and have students observe, draw, and write about changes in the seeds/plants as they grow.
• "Grow" word family
• VERBS!  So many great verbs for how plants move and grow. (PLANTS CAN'T SIT STILL by Rebecca E. Hirsch might be a fun companion book as it talks about all the ways plants move)
• Tasting party (Check for allergies) Taste the foods mentioned in the book. Graph favorites for math connections
• Salad bar lunch -- work with cafeteria, local restaurant, etc. to set up a salad bar for lunch
• (Social Studies) Compare various types of farms or regional differences in farms: Compare farm life in different cultures, the different foods popular in various cultural foods.
• (SEL) Caring for other living organisms, patience, perseverance
• (Art) Use vegetables to make art by dipping them in paint to create designs. Cut them in different ways for variety (lengthwise, crosswise, use ends, etc.)
• Be sure to check out the YouTube playlist and the PInterest board in the links section for even more ideas.

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers
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• Old MacDonald is the obvious choice here. Some options
  • Experience various versions of Old MacDonald
    • Different lyrics
    • Different styles of music
    • Different instrumentation
  • Learn to play Old MacDonald on instruments:
    • Recorders
    • Bells/Boomwhackers
    • Ukelele
    • Piano/keyboard
    • Mallet insstruments
  • Create new lyrics based on a different kind of farm
  • Use ORFF instruments to play along with Old MacDonald
  • Write out the rhythm patterns used in Old MacDonald
  • Check out the YouTube playlist for some fun rhythm play-along videos, rhythm stick activities and more.

Writing Prompts from Tonnye
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1. If you've ever visited a farm, write about what that was like.
2. If you had a choice between lettuce, peas and tomatoes, which would you choose to eat and why?
3. Write a "how to" article teaching someone how to grow lettuce/peas/or tomatoes.
4. Write  about the life cycle of one of the plants in the book.
5. Write your own version of Old McDonald Had a Farm.
6. Write a poem about something that grows.
7. Write a letter to Miss MacDonald.
8. If you had a farm, what would you grow and why?
9. Would you prefer to visit Miss MacDonald or Old MacDonald? Why?
10. Write a shape poem about tomatoes.
11. Write a diamante poem starting with Old MacDonald and ending with Miss MacDonald.
12. Make up your own salad recipe.
13. Write a letter to the author or the illustrator telling them what you like about the book.
14. Write an alliterative poem about one of the vegetables in the story.
15. In the back matter there's a recipe for a Harvest Vegetable Bake.  Which vegetables would you put in and why?
16. Look carefully at the pictures and list all the animals you see in the pictures.  Why do you think the illustrator included them? Why are they important?
17. Choose a word you didn't know before. Make a chart showing the word, what it means (the definition), draw a picture to represent the word and write a sentence with the word.
18. I would/would not want to be a farmer because . . . 
19. On the last spread, there is something inside the pumpkin. Write about what you think is inside the pumpkin.
20. Choose one of the vegetables and make a list of all the ways you can eat it.

Writing Tips from Kalee
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1. Critique partners. Need I say more?? Find some good ones who are actually critical (not just complementary) and just as invested as you in furthering their craft.
2. Stay on the bus. (I can't remember who coined this phrase for me, but I wrote it on a sticky note.) You never know when your YES will come. But you do know it will never come if you don’t ask for it. So participate in everything you are able, even if the little voice inside says “is this worth it?” Yes, it is always worth it.
3. "Keep it simple. Make it sing." Another sticky note mantra that I don't remember the origin of. Picture books are meant to be read aloud to children and this phrase helps me focus on that during revisions.

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

Pinterest board
Lots of ideas for resources to go along with MISS MACDONALD 
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YouTube playlist full of various versions of Old MacDonald, songs about growing plants, the farm to table experience, and more!

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PBJamz Snack

When strawberries and milk come directly from farm to table, this milkshake will be even better!  Healthy, natural, and delicious! If you're growing (or buying from your local farmers' market) peaches or blueberries, etc., you can substitute those for the strawberries. You can find the base recipe here, and then have fun playing with it!

Guest Links and Giveaways

www.kaleegwarjanski.com


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Kalee has generously offered a winner's choice!  Will you choose a picture book manuscript critique or a classroom zoom for a GIVEAWAY if you win? To be eligible, simply leave a comment below.  One winner will be chosen on Thursday, April 18.  You have until 11:59 PM EST on Wednesday, April 17 to comment and be eligible for the prize!