More Teaching Ideas

Cowtooning for the Milk Group

Grade Level: 2nd Grade

"This is a great sequencing and following directions activity," says Sandy McCann, who submitted this Little D's Nutrition Expedition® "Spotlight's on You" activity extension. A 2^nd-grade teacher at the Fred L. Aiken Elementary School in Pittsburg, Pa., McCann notes, "Students have to follow the instructions for their cows to turn out right." Focusing on fact vs. opinion also extends the program's Language Arts connection.

What You Need

• Thank Goodness for Cows mini-book (PDF) from Sir Milkford and Lady Holly's Milk Group, Activity 2 in Little D's Nutrition Expedition® program
• Search the Web for "how to draw a cow" video or written instructions
• Equipment for showing Internet instructions OR chalkboard for displaying written instructions
• Speech Bubble (PDF) worksheet
• Photocopy Speech Bubble worksheet - 1 per student
• Crayons and/or markers
• Pencils
• Scissors
• Glue
• Optional: Colored mural paper for displaying completed cows and speech bubbles
• Wall space for displaying students' work

What to Do

1. Review the Thank Goodness for Cows mini book (PDF) that students make in Little D's Nutrition Expedition®, Activity 2 to activate students' background knowledge.
2. Begin by have students follow step-by-step instructions to quickly draw, then color and cut out a cartoon cow as follows:
   • Show the video instructions that you located on the Internet. Pause between steps.
   • Or direct students to the steps that you wrote on the chalkboard.
3. Next, distribute a Speech Bubble worksheet to each student, and have children write a Milk Group fact from the cow's viewpoint. Emphasize that it must be a fact, not an opinion, and it must be written in a complete sentence.
4. Have students cut out their speech bubbles and attach them to their cows.
5. Display students' completed cows and speech bubbles. Ask your school nutrition director to display them in the cafeteria or milk-serving area for a classroom-cafeteria connection.