Module 1: Sheep
Learn about the sheep as a living thing and its relation to humans.
Interactive Props:
- Woolly the Sheep hand puppet and interactive storybook
- touch-and-feel quilt and wool samples
- sheep farming tools
- games
- books, DVDs, posters and more
Activity 1: Woolly the Sheep
Meet Woolly, the little sheep from the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum. With the help of an interactive storybook and a hand puppet, discover what it's like to be a sheep. The purpose of this activity is to introduce sheep and sheep farming to students while having fun.
Activity 2: Sheep Characteristics
Learn about animals and compare human needs and characteristics to those of animals. Using the sheep characteristics quilt, students explore the sheep's physical characteristics using their senses in a unique way, second only to meeting a real sheep!
Activity 3: The Needs of Sheep
By handling sheep farming tools and participating in guessing and matching games, learn how a herdsperson looks after livestock. Students learn that, just like any human, a sheep is a living thing that must have its basic needs met in order to be healthy.
Activity 4: Where's My Mommy?
Lambs and ewes can identify each other by the different bleating sound they make. The purpose of this sound recognition game is to help students understand how sheep communicate with each other.
Activity 5: Sheep Herding Game
While playing a cooperative game, learn about sheep herding and the relationship between the shepherd and the herd dogs.
Activity 6: Sheep and Wolf
Enjoy a classic game of tag, with a twist; experience how guard animals protect sheep from predators. Find out even more about sheep predators by listening to a humoristic story of a wise little lamb.
Activity 7: Sheep Products and By-Products
Did you know that many of the products you consume daily are derived from sheep? With this matching game, you will realize that sheep farming provides us with much more than just wool. Most sheep in Canada are raised for their meat, some for wool or even milk. After a sheep is slaughtered, almost every part of the animal is used and very little is wasted.
Module 2: Wool
Explore the topic of objects and materials related to sheep and investigate the many properties of wool and other fibres.
Interactive props:
- samples of wool and other fibres
- storybook, DVDs, pictures and posters
- hand cards and drop spindle
- lab equipment and more
Activity 1: From Sheep to Sweater
It takes a lot of work to turn sheep fleece into a sweater. Listen to a fun story and learn how clothing is made out of wool. After watching the Museum's sheep shearing demonstration on DVD, as well as wool carding, spinning and weaving, students are ready to process their own wool.
Activity 2: All about Fibres
Who would have thought it is now possible to knit socks out of milk protein fibre? By playing this matching game, learn the origin of a variety of fibres. Compare textures and appearance to determine whether the fibres are natural or man-made.
Activity 3: Properties of Wool and Other Fibres
Individually or as a group, conduct experiments to learn the properties of wool, and compare them to the properties of cotton and polyester.
Activity 4: Felting
Learn how wool is made into felt by listening to the story of Lucy, the little sheep who was afraid to be sheared. By making a craft, feel the wool in your fingers turn into felt.
Activity 5: Knitting Activities
Knitting can be a lot of fun for children, but sometimes hard for little hands to learn. Provide students with an understanding of what knitting is and give them the opportunity to learn two simple forms of knitting: finger knitting and corking.
Additional Information and Learning Aids - Extensive manual for teachers that includes background material and lesson plans.
Specifications - Sturdy case on wheels, 23 kg (50 lbs), 35 cm x 45 cm x 60 cm (15" x 22" x 25")
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