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Lesson Plan: My Guide to Happy Chickens

Paper (or a simple worksheet divided into three sections labeled: "Home," "Food," "Care")
Pencil
Crayons or colored pencils
(Optional) Pictures of chickens or a toy chicken for inspiration

By the end of this 20-30 minute lesson, you will be able to:

Name the three most important things a chicken needs to be happy (a home, food/water, and good care).
Write at least one complete sentence for each of the three chicken care categories.
Draw a picture that illustrates one of your chicken care sentences.

Lesson Activities

Hook / Engage: "Hey Jacob! Imagine you were a chicken for a day. What kind of house would you want to live in to feel safe and comfy? And what would be your favorite yummy snack to peck at in the yard?"
Set the Goal: "That sounds amazing! Today, you are going to become a chicken expert. We're going to create your very own 'Guide to Happy Chickens.' We'll learn about what chickens need, and you'll get to write and draw it all down, just like a real author!"

We'll use a special method called 'I do, We do, You do' to build your guide step-by-step.

Talk about it: "First, every chicken needs a home. Their special house is called a coop. It keeps them safe from rain and animals like foxes. It's where they sleep at night."
I Do (I'll show you): "For the 'Home' section of my guide, I'm going to write a sentence about this. I'll write: 'A chicken needs a safe coop.' See how I started with a capital letter and ended with a period? Now you have an example!"

Talk about it: "Okay, next up is food! What kinds of things do you think chickens love to eat?" (Listen for ideas like seeds, corn, worms, bugs, and special chicken feed. Also, mention they need fresh water to drink.)
We Do (Let's do it together): "Those are perfect ideas! Let's write a sentence together for the 'Food' section of your guide. How about we start with 'Chickens eat...'? What should we add to finish that sentence? ... Great! Let's write: 'Chickens eat seeds and bugs.' Go ahead and write that down. Remember to start with a capital letter!"

Talk about it: "You are doing an awesome job! The last part is 'Care.' Besides a home and food, what else does a chicken need to be happy? Maybe fresh water every day? Or space to run and peck in the grass?"
You Do (Now it's your turn!): "You're the expert now. For the 'Care' section, I want you to write one sentence all by yourself about how to take good care of a chicken. You can write about giving them water, keeping them safe, or letting them play outside. I'll be right here to help if you need it."

Recap and Share: "Jacob, your 'Guide to Happy Chickens' is finished! Let's read the amazing sentences you wrote. Can you tell me again, what are the three big things every chicken needs?" (Listen for home, food, and care).
Creative Touch: "Now for the fun part! Pick your favorite sentence and draw a picture right next to it. You can draw a cozy coop, a chicken eating a yummy worm, or a chicken playing in the sun."
Reinforce: "You are officially a chicken care expert! Your guide can teach other people how to keep chickens happy and healthy. Great writing today!"

Formative (Quick Checks): I'll be listening to your answers during our talks and watching as you form your sentences to see how you're doing.
Summative (The Final Guide): Your finished guide will show what you've learned!
- Success looks like:
- A written sentence for the "Home" section.
- A written sentence for the "Food" section.
- A written sentence for the "Care" section.
- An attempt to use a capital letter at the beginning and a period at the end.
- A drawing that matches one of the sentences.

For Extra Support: If writing sentences feels tricky, we can use sentence starters like "A chicken lives in a ______." You can also tell me the sentence, and I can write it for you to trace.
For an Extra Challenge: If you're feeling like a super expert, try writing two sentences for each section, or add a describing word (adjective) to each sentence, like "A chicken needs a warm, safe coop." You could even design a cover page for your guide!