Squealer and Snowball sharing secrets on our ‘Animal Farm’
The school farm provides a valuable resource for many aspects of learning English.
Speaking and listening skills are enhanced by visits to the farm. The introductory talks illustrated by live visual aids provide a stimulating environment for listening/ recall skills.
The ability to ask/ respond to questions can be practised easily as the visit progresses. The proximity of the animals stimulates even the most reticent to listen and respond. The requirement to discuss/argue/persuade is often the beginning of a researched topic.
Reading skills benefit from, often complex, texts, which could be used after a farm visit. The practical introduction can clarify and stimulate interest.
Writing Tasks (AT3) are varied and can be tackled at different levels. Factual information, persuasive texts targeting a specific viewpoint, descriptive writing in poetry or prose are all enhanced by the realities of meeting the subject
Topics used in Key Stage 3
- Animal inspired poetry – texts by Ted Hughes, Eleanor Farejon
- Animal stories – such as ‘Animal Farm’ by George Orwell
- Creative writing – through the eyes of a pig/ cow
Factual/ information writing – explain/ describe/ narrate
- Guide to farm
- Study of an animal
- Hygiene information or safety rules
- A ‘how to’ guide or an explanation of a procedure
- Newspaper article or feature.
Discuss, argue, persuade
- Battery farming – chickens
- Meat eating – pigs, cows, sheep, chickens
- Generic modification of animals/crops.
