People Can Use Products Provided by Animals and Plants

Core Learning Experience + Supplies and Equipment

​​Gather together some items that people eat or use that are from animals and plants, such as an egg, milk, goat cheese, bacon, honey, fruit, vegetable, bread, paper, wood, cork, sisal, sheep’s wool, etc. Have a group discussion, and the children can explore the items.

Possible/Expected Discoveries

  • Animals eat plants or other animals for food and may also use plants (or even other animals) for shelter and nesting. Interdependence.
  •  Most food comes from farms either directly as crops or as the animals that eat the crops
  • Categorize the items using various criteria, such as things from animals, plants; things we eat and things we use; things from a cow; things we can make a house with; things from animals in my fridge right now ,etc
  •  People need animals for many things. Do animals need people for anything?
  • Do people and animals both need similar things to be healthy and live? (air, food, shelter, etc)

Extended Learning and Other Curriculum Areas

  • ​​ Plan a pretend meal, and talk about whether the parts of the meal are from animals or plants. Or discuss a real snack or meal as you eat with the children.
  • Use some real wool yarn to weave on a piece of card or a paper plate. Cut small triangles around the edge and weave in and out of them.
  • Game: Animal or plant? (rose, zebra, eagle, corn etc)

Activity Packs and Printables

Websites

Books

The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry ​