More than 100 students participated in our Read Across Iowa Virtual Celebration!
Throughout the month of March, we are celebrating Read Across Iowa. More than 100 students participated in our two virtual story times offered on March 1st and March 3rd. We read My Family's Dairy Farm by Katie Olthoff.
Students discovered how farmers care for the cows and produce milk that can be made into cheese and other dairy products. The book is part of a series targeted to 3rd grade readers, but the dairy content is great for any age! Classes received a copy of the book to take home. Didn't receive a book? Not to worry, you can view a virtual copy by visiting Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation.
My Family's Dairy Farm is a story told from the perspective of an 8 year old farm kid that lives here in Iowa. Students can really relate to someone their own age and learning from a peer makes reading fun! Did you know? Reading to children and having books in the home is one of the strongest predictors of school success.
According to Iowa Farm Bureau, “Iowa is the 12th largest milk-producing state in the United States with about 1,370 licensed dairy herds. Annually, Iowa’s herds produce around 540 million gallons of milk, worth approximately $944 million in sales, so there is a significant dairy industry presence statewide.”
Looking for additional resources to accompany the story? Check out the following dairy activities!
1. Homemade butter recipe: Visit our website to download a recipe book.
- Heavy whipping cream, salt and a small cup
2. Flat Aggie Adventures publication: Dairy Series
3. Dairy FarmChat
4. Coloring sheet
5. Homemade ice cream lesson plan
View a recording of our virtual story time by visiting Virtual story time! - YouTube.
Read Across Iowa is organized as a collaborative effort between the Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Iowa 4-H, and the Iowa State Education Association.
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