IAITC
A Hog Ate My
Homework
Activities to complement
the book by Gary Metivier
As we join Willie for his second adventure, we find that the mix of fiction
and non-fiction help to impart important lessons to young readers. This
book provides a wonderful opportunity for classroom teachers to encourage students to read and learn about agriculture and it’s importance in
today’s society.
This booklet is designed with the student audience in mind. These activities
are intended to be used in the classroom as supplemental learning material.
Each lesson is correlated to the Illinois State Learning Standards and Assessment Framework. The answer sheet for each activity is provided at the
end of this booklet.
A visual key has also been created and used with each activity to indicate its
subject area. The activity topics include: hands-on, science, health and nutrition, reading , math, social studies, writing, and art.
Hands-on
Writing
Science
Reading
Health and Nutrition
Art
Math
2
Pig Tales
Pages 4-11
This Little Piggy
Goes to Market
Illinois Learning Standards:
Reading: 1.B.2a; 1.B.2b; 1.C.2a; 1.C.2b;
1.C.2d; 2.A.2a,; 2.A.2b
Writing: 3.B.2b; 3.B.2c; 3.B.2d; 3.C.2a
Illinois Assessment Framework:
1.4.04; 1.4.10; 1.4.13; 1.4.14; 1.4.17; 1.4.22; 2.4.01;
1.6.03; 1.6.06; 1.6.07; 1.6.08; 1.6.14; 1.6.14; 1.6.18;
1.6.19; 2.6.01; 2.6.02
Illinois Learning Standards
Math: 6.B.2; 6.C.2a; 7.A.2b; 12.A.2a; 12.B.2a; 13.B.2c
Illinois Assessment Framework: 6.3.01; 6.3.02;
6.3.09; 6.3.14; 6.4.01; 6.4.04; 6.4.12
Pages 12-15
Illinois Learning Standards:
Math: 6.a.2; 8.A.2a; 10.A.2c; 12.A.2a
The Three Little Pigs
Pages 16-20
Who Let the Hogs Out?
MAZE Reading
Illinois Assessment Framework:
6.5.01; 6.5.02; 6.5.11; 8.5.06; 10.5.01; 10.5.02; 12.4.03
Illinois Learning Standards:
Reading: 1.A.2b; 1.B. 2a; 1. B. 2d; 3.A.1
Illinois Assessment Framework:
1.3.07; 1.3.08; 1.3.11; 1.4.04; 1.4.07
Pages 21-23
What’s in My Dum Dum?
Pages 24-26
Hitch Your Wagon to Science
Pages 27-30
A Hog Ate My Homework
Pages 31-38
Illinois Learning Standards: 12.A.2a; 13.B. 2a;
13.B.2b; 13.B.2c; 15.A.2a; 17.A.2b; 17.B.2a; 17.C.2b;
22.A.2b; 23.B.2
Illinois Assessment Framework: 12.4.04;
13.4.10;13.4.11;13.4.12
Illinois Learning Standards: 7.A.1a; 7.A.2a; 7.C.1;
7.C.2a; 8.A.1a; 11.A.1c; 11.A.1e; 11.B.1b
Illinois Assessment Framework: 7.3.02; 7.3.05;
7.4.02; 8.3.01; 11.4.01;11.4.03;11.4.05
Illinois Learning Standards: 1.A.1a; 1.A.1b; 1.B.1a;
1.B.2a; 1.B.2b; 1.B.1c; 1.B.1d; 1.B.2d; 1.C.1a; 1.C.3a;
1.C.1d; 1.C.2d; 2.A.1a; 2.A.1b; 2.B.1a; 2.B.2a; 2.B.1c;
3.C.1a
Illinois Assessment Framework:1.3.01; 1.3.06;
1.3.07; 1.3.08; 1.3.12;1.3.13; 1.3.18; 1.3.20; 1.3.23;
1.3.24; 1.4.09; 1.4.10; 1.4.13; 1.4.15; 1.4.17; 1.4.21;
1.4.22; 2.3.01; 2.3.02; 2.3.02; 2.3.04; 2.3.06; 2.4.01
3
Pig Tales
Grade Level: 3-4 Grades
Objective: After completing this activity, students should become more
familiar with the format of a short reading passage followed by multiple
choice questions and an extended response question found on the Illinois
Standards Achievement Exam (ISAT).
Illinois Learning Standards: 1.B.2b; 1..C.2b; 1.C.2d; 2.A.2b
Illinois Assessment Framework: 1.4.09; 1.4.10; 1.4.13; 1.4.14
Suggested Reading Materials:
IAITC Pork Ag Mag
A Hog Ate My Homework by Gary Metivier ISBN: 978-0-9818946-0-7
Willie’s Wagon by Gary Metivier ISBN 1-59152-043-6
Procedure: This lesson was designed to resemble a long reading passage that could be found on the ISAT test. The excerpt was taken from
the book A Hog Ate My Homework by Gary Metivier. Have students read
the passage and answer the questions that follow. Included in this lesson
is an Extended-Response question like the type found on the ISAT test.
4
Chicken and Butterflies for Dinner
1
Willie's favorite dinner sat in front of him: chicken, mashed potatoes, and peas. But
Willie wasn't hungry. He felt like his belly was already full of butterflies. As he
pushed his peas into the mountain of mashed potatoes, he thought this could be his
last meal. After all, he knew what would come next.
2
"How was school today?" Dad asked.
3
Yikes! Willie bit down on his lip. He squeezed the spoonful of mashed potatoes so
hard that his fingertips turned red.
4
"Willie failed his first report!" his older sister Ashley blurted out. "Annie's sister told
me all about it." For a moment Willie felt tempted to toss his spoonful of potatoes in
the direction of his sister. She was better in school. She always did things right.
And now she had to announce his failing to the entire world! Life as he knew it was
over.
5
Ashley was a nice girl, but there was something about her little brother that just
brought out the worst in her. Maybe it was how he always grossed out her fifthgrade friends when they came over. Maybe it was because he always left her stuck
with his chores. Or just maybe it was because that's the way brothers and sisters
sometimes treat each other growing up.
6
But right now Willie wasn't thinking about growing up. He just hoped to make it
through dinner!
7
"Willie, I didn’t even know you had an assignment due, " Mom said. "I wanted to
work with you on that. Let's see what you wrote."
8
Willie didn't say a word. He got up and shuffled toward his backpack on the floor
near the front door. He looked at the backpack. Then he looked at the door. Willie
thought, If I make a run for it, maybe they'll never see the paper!
9
He'd heard of kids running away. He could join the circus, but the circus wasn't in
town. He could be a hobo on the train, but he didn't know what a hobo was.
10
Willie decided it was better just to give up, hand over his paper, and hope for the
best. He imagined handcuffs, striped jail pajamas, and bars holding him in his least
favorite place in the house -- his sister's girlie, pop-star decorated, pink room!
5
11
"Read it to us, Willie," Dad said as he crossed his arms and leaned
back in his chair.
12
Great! Willie thought. Not only do they want to see my failed report,
they want me to read it too!
13
Willie swallowed hard and read.
14
I would like to be a farmer when I grow up, because farming is
easy! They don't need to go to school, because they just play in
the dirt and ride around on ATVs. When it rains, you can just stay
inside and watch TV and play video games. When the sun comes
back out, the corn just grows out of the ground by itself. In the fall,
someone comes by, cuts it down, and gives the farmer a bunch of
money. They use that money to buy candy and more video
games. The end.
15
When Willie dared enough to look up, he saw that the smiles on his
parents' faces were gone. But instead of being mad, his mom looked disappointed.
16
She got up from the table and headed to the telephone. Was she
calling the army to have him sent away to boot camp? She could be calling the television people to have his favorite shows turned off. Or, worst
of all, would she dare put his video games up for sale on the Internet?
17
She pushed the buttons on the telephone one by one. With each button pressed, Willie sunk down lower and lower into his chair. I'm
doomed! I am only eight years old and my life is over!
6
Name__________________________ Today’s Date_________________
4th Grade
2
What is the opposite of
the word disappointed?
1
A
B
C
D
What is one reason Willie
wants to be a farmer?
He wants to use big machines.
He loves animals.
He thinks they play video
games all day.
D He believes they have a lot of
toys.
Angry
Happy
Mad
Dissatisfied
A
B
C
4
What can you predict will
happen to Willie?
A
3
What did Willies’ sister
Ashley tell her parents at
dinner?
B
C
D
A
B
C
D
Willie got into a fight.
Willie got a bad grade on
his report.
Willie lied about not having
homework.
Willie took her favorite
book.
His parents will laugh at his
report and let Willie go out
side and play.
His parents will make him
leave the table without dinner.
His parents will write the
report for him themselves.
His parents will take him to a
farm to see what a real farmer
does everyday.
7
Name__________________________ Today’s Date_________________
4th Grade
6
True or False Willie ran away
to the circus.
5
Willie is an example of which
type of literary element?
A
B
C
D
A
B
Setting
Theme
Plot
Character
True
False
8
7
Willie’s parents grounded
Willie for how long?
A
B
C
D
0 days
5 days
10 days
100 days
Which of these words is the
best definition of the word
“doomed” in the last sentence
of paragraph #17?
A
B
C
D
Hopeful
Excited
Lucky
Cursed
8
Name__________________________ Today’s Date_________________
6th Grade
2
1
Which of the following is not a
reason Willie would like to be
farmer?
Why is Willie imagining himself in jail?
A
B
A
B
C
D
He broke the law.
He would like to visit a jail.
He is exaggerating his
possible punishment.
He isn’t thinking about jail.
C
D
They don’t need to go to school.
They watch TV and play video
games.
They use the money they make
to buy candy and video games
They have to work hard to get
the crops to grow.
3
At the beginning of the passage, Willie is upset about
something. What is he
nervous about?
A He disobeyed his parents’
rules.
B He did poorly on a report for
school.
C He skipped school and went
to the movies.
D He pushed his sister and
hurt her.
4
How does Willie feel about
his sister telling his parents
about his report?
A
B
C
D
Angry
Happy
Excited
Sad
9
Name__________________________ Today’s Date_________________
6th Grade
6
5
Why is Willie scared to show
his parents his report?
What is the meaning of the
word “disappointed” as used
in the sentence below:
A
“But instead of being mad,
his mom looked disappointed.”
C
D
A
B
C
D
Frustrated
Pleased
Satisfied
Delighted
B
He didn’t ask for help on his
report and got a low grade.
They helped him with the
report.
He forgot to do the report.
He didn’t write the report
himself.
8
Why does the author use
the word “shuffled” to
describe how Willie moved
to get his backpack?
7
The setting of this passage
is:
A
B
A
B
C
D
The jail.
The school.
The circus.
The dinner table.
C
D
To explain how his leg was
injured.
To create the picture of
Willie in the reader’s mind.
To show his excitement
about sharing his report.
To show how much he
doesn’t want to get the
backpack..
10
Name__________________________ Today’s Date_________________
6th Grade
Extended Response
Question: How could Willie have handled telling his parents
about his grade on the report differently? Use the information
from the story and your own ideas to support your answer.
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
11
This Little Piggy
Goes to Market
Grade Level: 4-6
Approximate Length of Activity: One class period
Objectives:
Teacher:
1. Provide students with an opportunity to develop math skills through
word problems.
2. Help the students learn what products pigs provide and how pigs are
important to us.
Students:
1. Build mental math skills by solving word problems.
2. Learn how pigs play an important role in the daily lives of many people.
Illinois Learning Standards: 6.B.2; 6.C.2a; 7.A.2b; 12.A.2a; 12.B.2a; 13.B.2c
Illinois Assessment Framework: 6.3.01; 6.3.02; 6.3.09; 6.3.14; 6.4.01; 6.4.04; 6.4.12
Introduction:
The pig was among the first animals to be domesticated, as early as 7000 B.C. Hernando
DeSoto, an explorer, brought the first pigs to America in 1539. Today, pigs are raised across the
United States and in almost every other country in the world.
Producers raise pigs today that weigh more, grow more efficiently, and yield more lean
meat than ever before. Bacon, pork sausage, pork chops, and ham all come from pigs, but there
are about 500 different by-products of pigs as well. Some examples of by-products are
fertilizers, glass, china, floor wax, chalk, crayons, and medicine.
Sows, which are female pigs, give birth to litters of piglets twice a year. Each litter usually
has seven to 10 piglets. Giving birth to piglets is also called farrowing. Some pork producers
have farrow to finish farms, which means the pigs are bred, born, and fed on the farm until they
are taken to market. Pigs are weaned from their mother when they are two to four weeks old.
Farmers feed their pigs a well balanced diet twice a day. Pigs eat ground-up corn, soybeans,
wheat, and grain sorghum. They are usually taken to market when they weigh 220- 260 pounds.
By this time, they are about five to six months old.
Pigs are also very important to society for the life-supporting and life-saving products we
derive from them. Pigs provide a source of nearly 40 drugs and pharmaceuticals. Pigs are very
much like humans because their heart and other organs work the same way. This is very beneficial to us because if a certain medication helps pigs, then chances are it will also help humans.
Insulin from pigs is important because its chemical structure most nearly resembles that of
humans. Pig skin is used in treating massive burns and injuries, and in healing persistent skin
ulcers because the skin is similar to ours. Heart valves from pigs are surgically implanted in
humans to replace human heart valves that are weakened due to disease or injury.
12
Materials Needed:
-A Pig Grows Up worksheet
-Scratch paper
Procedure:
Discuss the information from the introduction with your students. Make sure they
understand that we derive more products from pigs than just meat.
Hand out A Pig Grows Up worksheet to each student. Have the students answer
the questions individually or in groups. The students may need to use scratch paper for
multiplication and division problems.
Go over the answers of A Pig Grows Up worksheet with the students. If a student gets
a wrong answer, go through the steps of the problem with them so they understand the
right way to do the problem.
Discussion Questions:
Where are pigs raised?
What kinds of meat come from pigs?
What is a piglet?
What do pigs eat?
How long does it usually take for a pig to reach market weight?
In what ways are pigs beneficial to humans?
Related Activities:
Use Pork Ag Mag by Illinois Farm Bureau¤ to teach students about animals and
animal care. Contact your county Farm Bureau¤ to learn how to obtain copies for your
classroom.
Research pigs and find out more about their useful by-products.
Have the class read Charlotte s Web and compare Wilbur to a real pig.
Visit a pig farm and have a day of math activities such as finding perimeters of a field,
garden, pig housing, estimating the weight of a pig, the amount a silo or storage bin
holds, etc.
Hold a Pig Fest and have students bring in foods or products made from pigs.
Call your county Farm Bureau¤ to assist in bringing a pig farmer into your classroom.
Let him or her talk about their pig operation and all they do to care for the pigs.
Check out the National Pork Producers Council s Web site at www.nppc.org to find out
more about food and nutrition information and food fun for kids.
13
This Little Piggy Goes To Market
Name ___________________________
A Pig Grows Up
A piglet usually feeds from its mother until it is four to six weeks old and weighs about
25 pounds. Then it begins to eat feed grain and is known as a feeder pig. It takes
about six months for a pig to reach market weight of 250 pounds.
1. After a pig stops feeding from its mother, how many pounds does it have to gain
to be ready for market? _________ lbs.
2. Once a pig starts eating feed grains, how many bushels of feed must a pig eat to
reach market weight? (Count them in the picture.)
_________ bushels
3. Each bushel contains about 58 pounds of feed.
How many pounds of feed does the pig eat?
_________ lbs.
4. About 120 pounds of the feed that each pig
eats is protein and mineral supplements.
How much of the feed is corn? _________ lbs.
5. What percent of the total feed is made up of
corn? (Round to the nearest whole number.) _________ %
6. How many bushels of feed will the farmer need to raise all the pigs?
_________ bushels
7. How many pounds of corn will all eight pigs eat?
_________ lbs.
8. If all of the pigs were at the average market weight when they were sold, what was
the total weight of all eight pigs? _________ lbs.
9. If the farmer sold the pigs for 40 cents per pound, how much money was paid
for all of the pigs? $_________
10.
How much was one pig worth? $_________
14
This Little Piggy Goes To Market
ANSWER SHEET
A Pig Grows Up
A piglet usually feeds from its mother until it is four to six weeks old and weighs about
25 pounds. Then it begins to eat feed grain and is known as a feeder pig. It takes
about six months for a pig to reach market weight of 250 pounds.
1. After a pig stops feeding from its mother, how many pounds does it have to gain
to be ready for market?
225 lbs.
2. Once a pig starts eating feed grains, how many bushels of feed must a pig eat to
reach market weight? (Count them in the picture.)
15 bushels
3. Each bushel contains about 58 pounds of feed.
How many pounds of feed does the pig eat?
870 lbs.
4. About 120 pounds of the feed that each pig
eats is protein and mineral supplements.
How much of the feed is corn? 750 lbs.
5. What percent of the total feed is made up of
corn? (Round to the nearest whole
number.)
86 %
6. How many bushels of feed will the farmer need to raise all the pigs?
120 bushels
7. How many pounds of corn will all eight pigs eat?
6000 lbs.
8. If all of the pigs were at the average market weight when they were sold, what was
the total weight of all eight pigs? 2000 lbs.
9. If the farmer sold the pigs for 40 cents per pound, how much money was paid
for all of the pigs? $800
10.
How much was one pig worth?
$100
15
The Three
Little Pigs
Objective:
Students will understand the difference between prime and composite numbers, while also
learning about pigs and pork production.
Illinois Learning Standards: 6.A.2; 8.A.2a; 10.A.2c; 12.A.2a
Illinois Assessment Framework: 6.5.01; 6.5.02; 6.5.11; 8.5.06; 10.5.01; 10.5.02; 12.4.03
Background Information for Rectangle Concept:
For thousands of years people have been interested in groups of numbers. Greek mathematicians studied numbers that could be represented by patterns of objects. For example, 12 marbles could be arranged in two lines of six marbles or three lines of four marbles. The Greeks
called 12 and numbers like 12 rectangle numbers because when the marbles were placed in this
way they formed a rectangle. A rectangle number is the product of smaller numbers. These
smaller numbers are factors. For example, the factors of 12 are 2, 3, 4, and 6. Today, rectangle
numbers are known as composite numbers. Some numbers of objects cannot be arranged to
form a rectangle. For example, you cannot place 5, 7, 11, or 13 marbles into a rectangle. These numbers are called prime numbers.
Background Information on Pigs:
Gestation is the development period between the time an animal conceives and the time its baby is born. The gestation period for piglets is three months, three weeks, and three days, or a
total of 114 days. There are three phases to hog production: farrowing, nursery, and finishing.
Each of these phases takes place in a different building.
Vocabulary:
Prime number: A whole number whose only two factors are 1 and itself.
Composite number: A whole number with more than 2 factors.
Factor: One of two or more numbers that are multiplied together to get a product.
Farrowing House: The building where piglets are born. Piglets stay in a farrowing house for
three to four weeks until they reach 10-15 pounds.
Nursery:
Piglets are weaned from their mother and moved to the nursery. In the
nursery, piglets are fed a mixture of grains to help them grow.
Finishing Barn:
In this building, pigs are fed corn and soybeans. They are kept here until
they reach market weight (250-275 pounds).
16
Procedure:
1. Provide students with definitions of prime and composite numbers. As a class, create a
list of examples for each number type. Have students explain why a number is prime or
composite.
2. Inform students that you have a different way to determine if a number is prime or composite. Using the background information above, introduce the rectangle concept to students.
It may be helpful to demonstrate this concept using an overhead projector or chalkboard.
3. Tell students that they are now Illinois Pork Producers. As pork producers, it is important
for them to know everything about pigs. Share the “Background Information on Pigs” with
students. Ask them if prime numbers were mentioned in any of the information you just read.
Have students explain their answers.
4. To learn more about the three locations pork producers use, have students read the Farrowing House, Nursery, and Finishing paragraphs in the Pork Ag Mag. While reading, have
students circle any composite numbers and underline any prime numbers mentioned. As a
class, review the prime and composite numbers found inside the Ag Mag.
5. Have students look at the picture of the hog farm in the center of the Ag Mag. Ask them:
What are the shapes of the buildings? Rectangles! Then, ask students: Could we use the
rectangle concept on a hog farm? Answers may vary. But, suggest that the rectangle concept could be used to figure out how to fit piglets into a farrowing house and nursery as well
as pigs in a finishing barn.
6. Equipped with information about pork production, have students complete the “Prime
Number Pigs” worksheet. Using the template provided, prepare the Pig cut-outs. Prepare
enough for each student to have 30 pigs. To decrease paper use, it may be helpful to have
students work in pairs or include this activity in a learning center.
Discussion Questions:
· How can you tell if a number is prime or composite? Have students explain their answers.
· What prime numbers are connected to Illinois Pork Production? How?
· Have students read the rest of the Pork Ag Mag. Then, ask them to share something new
they learned about pigs or Illinois Pork Production.
Extension Activities:
· Using construction paper, have students create their own farrowing house, nursery, or finishing barn. Students can then use their “building” as a work mat for the Pig cut-outs. Select
a number. Have students count out this many pigs. Then, ask students to determine whether the number is prime or composite using the rectangle concept.
Additional Materials:
· Pork Ag Mag available from your County Ag Literacy Coordinator or County Farm Bureau®
17
3
THE THREE LITTLE PIGS
PRIME NUMBER PIGS
9
As an Illinois Pork Producer, you care for piglets and pigs throughout the three stages
of hog production. Therefore, you have to make decisions about housing the animals
in three different buildings: farrowing house, nursery, and finishing barn.
Use the Pig cut-outs and rectangle concept to help answer the questions below.
1. In the farrowing house, you have 17 sows who have just given birth to piglets. Is 17 a
prime or composite number?
2. Most sows will give birth to two litters each year. A sow gave birth to 8 piglets. This is her
second litter of piglets for the year. There were 11 piglets in her first litter.
A. Is 8 a prime or composite number?
B. Is 11 a prime or composite number?
C. How many total piglets did the sow have this year? Can your answer form a
rectangle? Why or why not?
3. You currently have 16 piglets in your nursery. Draw one way you could arrange the piglets
in the nursery. Is 16 a prime or composite number?
4. Currently, there are 21 pigs in your finishing barn. A nearby pork producer is moving and
sold 19 more pigs that are close to market weight. How many total pigs are in the finishing
barn? Is this number prime or composite? Explain your answer. Use the back of this worksheet if necessary.
18
3
THE THREE LITTLE PIGS
PRIME NUMBER PIGS
9
As an Illinois Pork Producer, you care for piglets and pigs throughout the three stages
of hog production. Therefore, you have to make decisions about housing the animals
in three different buildings: farrowing house, nursery, and finishing barn.
Use the Pig cut-outs and rectangle concept to help answer the questions below.
1. In the farrowing house, you have 17 sows who have just given birth to piglets. Is 17 a prime
or composite number?
PRIME
2. Most sows will give birth to two litters each year. A sow gave birth to 8 piglets. This is her
second litter of piglets for the year. There were 11 piglets in her first litter.
A. Is 8 a prime or composite number?
COMPOSITE
B. Is 11 a prime or composite number?
PRIME
C. How many total piglets did the sow have this year? Can your answer form a
rectangle? Why or why not?
No, it cannot form a rectangle. The sow gave birth to 19 piglets and 19 is a prime
number.
3. You currently have 16 piglets in your nursery. Draw one way you could arrange the piglets
in the nursery. Is 16 a prime or composite number?
For drawings, answers may vary, but may include 4 rows of 4; 2 rows of 8; 8 rows
of 2. 16 is a composite number.
4. Currently, there are 21 pigs in your finishing barn. A nearby pork producer is moving and
sold 19 more pigs that are close to market weight. How many total pigs are in the
finishing barn? Is this number prime or composite? Explain your answer. Use the
back of this worksheet if necessary.
Total number of pigs is 40. 40 is a composite number. Explanations may vary.
19
20
Who Let the
Hogs Out?
Grade Level: 2-6 grades
Objective:
Students will read a passage using the MAZE reading
strategy to exhibit level of fluency, vocabulary recognition,
and low level comprehension.
Illinois Learning Standards: 1.A.2b; 1.B.2a; 1.B.2d; 3.A.1
Illinois Assessment Framework: 1.3.07; 1.3.08; 1.3.11; 1.4.04; 1.4.07
Background on MAZE Reading Comprehension:
MAZE is a group administered test that measures fluency of silent reading
and low level comprehension of passages. The activity is meant to provide
an estimate of a student’s basic reading skill. The MAZE test assesses silent
reading fluency, because the more fluently the student reads, the more items
will be attempted. It assesses low level comprehension, because the items
must be answered correctly in order to receive credit in the score.
Procedure:
Hand out the Chapter 9: The Machine Shed worksheet. Have students
read each sentence silently and when they come to three words that are underlined and in dark print, the will circle the word that belongs in the sentence.
Remember: Mazes are group administered and students read the passages
silently. Students read each passage for 3 minutes. The score is the number
of correct responses the student gets. A great idea would be to track the student's progress by completing MAZE reading activities once a month. You
can create your own reading passages. To find out more on how to create
your own MAZE reading passages, visit http://www.fcrr.org/forf_mazes/
training/maze/maze.html
21
MAZE Reading Activity
Chapter 9: The Machine Shed
A Hog Ate My Homework by Gary Metivier
Read each sentence. When you come to three words that are underlined and in
dark print, you will circle the word that belongs in the sentence.
Willie walked into one of the three big metal buildings that were near the house. It was the biggest
garage he did / had / where ever seen. There were all sorts of / behind / have cool trucks and tractors everywhere.
"Are red / these / mine, your toys?" Willie asked.
"These are his / dogs / my tools, Willie," Uncle Kenney said. "When I / truck / you plowed my first
garden as a smart / girl / boy, I did things the old-fashioned type / way / carry. We had two white
mules named Jenny and / was / did Jake. I tied a hand letter / white / plow to them - a plow loosens
and turns the soil so you can plant. The / A / Said mules would pull the plow as dogs / she / I walked
behind, trying to keep it under / in / blue a straight line. I had to think / find / work hard so my vegetables would grow under / in / last rows. I have a much bigger room / area / slipper to work now, so
we use
tractors / some / coats instead of mules. They don't get stuffed / tired / while and they aren't as
stubborn."
The doctor / card / farmer pointed to each piece of equipment in / below / for the shed and explained what it next / was / has. There were three tractors. Two of socks / that / them looked really
old. There was a party / tiller / glass that loosened the dirt. The planter put / reads / either the
seeds in the ground.
Way back / things / near in the corner there was something without / covered / found
up in a big white sheet. Willie danced / figured / listen there must be a secret running / car / hiding
under it, because Uncle Kenny didn't purple / talk / thought about it. Maybe it was a
spaceship / letter / last that crash-landed on his farm, Willie opened / talked / thought . But the
farmer acted as pin / of / if it wasn't even there.
He pointed before / around / to the biggest machine Willie had ever run / seen / blue. The tires were
bigger than he was / has / event!
"This is my combine. It's what red/ I / cats use this time of year to left / read / harvest the crop. I can
drive through the / an / those field and harvest six rows at the / a / pink time. The combine picks the
corn, beats / smiles / takes it off the cob, and even jokes / tells / smart me how much per acre I collected / juiced / squatted."
"Let me guess what happens next," Willie laughed / said / pipe with a proud look. "You
instead / brought / put the corn in cans and sell it / she / white to the grocery stores."
"Not quite, Willie. Cream / This / Under is what's called field corn. Without / After / Present we finish our chores, it will is / be / choose time to eat. We're having corn under / for / because supper.
But it won't be coming away / with / out of a can."
Willie had a purple / curious / understand look on his face. Are we finding / jumping / going to eat
just corn for supper? he / red / him thought. That's really bor---ing!
22
MAZE Reading Activity
A Hog Ate My Homework by Gary Metivier
Chapter 9 The Machine Shed
ANSWER SHEET
Willie walked into one of the three big metal buildings that were near the house. It
was the biggest garage he (had) ever seen. There were all sorts (of) cool trucks and
tractors everywhere.
"Are (these), your toys?" Willie asked.
"These are (my) tools, Willie," Uncle Kenney said. "When (I) plowed my first garden
as a (boy), I did things the old-fashioned (way). We had two white mules named
Jenny (and) Jake. I tied a hand (plow) to them - a plow loosens and turns the soil so
you can plant. (The) mules would pull the plow as (I) walked behind, trying to keep it
(in) a straight line. I had to (work) hard so my vegetables would grow (in) rows. I
have a much bigger (area) to work now, so we use (tractors) instead of mules. They
don't get (tired) and they aren't as stubborn."
The (farmer) pointed to each piece of equipment (in) the shed and explained what it
(was). There were three tractors. Two of (them) looked really old. There was a
(tiller) that loosened the dirt. The planter (put) the seeds in the ground.
Way (back) in the corner there was something (covered) up in a big white sheet.
Willie (figured) there must be a secret (hiding) under it, because Uncle Kenny didn't
(talk) about it. Maybe it was a (spaceship) that crash-landed on his farm, Willie
(thought). But the farmer acted as (if) it wasn't even there.
He pointed (to) the biggest machine Willie had ever (seen). The tires were bigger
than he (was)!
"This is my combine. It's what (I) use this time of year to (harvest) the crop. I can
drive through (the) field and harvest six rows at (a) time. The combine picks the
corn, (takes) it off the cob, and even (tells) me how much per acre I (collected)."
"Let me guess what happens next," Willie (said) with a proud look. "You (put) the
corn in cans and sell (it) to the grocery stores."
"Not quite, Willie. (This) is what's called field corn. (After) we finish our chores, it
will (be) time to eat. We're having corn (for) supper. But it won't be coming (out) of
a can."
Willie had a (curious) look on his face. Are we (going) to eat just corn for supper?
(he) thought. That's really bor---ing!
23
What’s In My Dum Dum?
Grade Level: 3-6 Grades
Objective:
Students will examine a food label to determine where ingredients originate and
the importance of the nutrition label.
Illinois Learning Standards: 12.A.2a; 13.B. 2a; 13.B.2b; 13.B.2c; 15.A.2a; 17.A.2b; 17.B.2a;
17.C.2b; 22.A.2b; 23.B.2
Illinois Assessment Framework: 12.4.04; 13.4.10;13.4.11;13.4.12
Introduction:
What are Dum Dums made of and where do these ingredients come from? If you were to look
at the list of ingredients, you would find that some of them come from the United States and a
few are imported from other countries. How does a company get all of the ingredients to make
Dum Dum Pops?
In this lesson, students will research the food label of a Dum Dum Pop to determine where the
ingredients originated. Food labels provide the consumer with information on ingredients,
nutritional values, and how the product meets our daily needs of a specific vitamins and nutrients. Food labeling became a law in the United States under the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990. In 1994, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) implemented
regulations on nutrition labels. These regulations give specific requirements for the labels’
format, nutrient values, nutrient content claims, and health claims.
Materials Needed:
 What in My Dum Dum Pop worksheet
 Dum Dum Sucker
 Encyclopedias and other resource materials
Activity Outline:
1. Distribute a Dum Dum Pop and the “What’s in My Dum Dum Pop?” worksheet.
to each student. Have students read what ingredients make up a Dum Dum Pop.
1. Discuss with the class how the ingredients are grown, transported, processed, and made
into a piece of candy.
2. Have students complete the worksheet , providing encyclopedias and other resource
3. materials to assist them in their discoveries.
Discussion Questions:
1. What ingredients did you find on the label that you did not know were in a Dum Dum Pop?
2. How nutritional is a Dum Dum Pop?
3. Where do Dum Dum Pop ingredients come from?
4. What types of jobs are involved in the making of a Dum Dum Pop? (Remember, someone
needs to grow the ingredients, transport them, make the product, sell the product, and much
more!)
24
What’s In My Dum Dum?
1. Find the ingredients. They are listed in order of greatest amount to the least.
What ingredient is used the most? _____________________________
What ingredient is used the least? _____________________________
2. Which ingredient most likely comes from Illinois? _____________________
3. Using an encyclopedia, determine what ingredients are obtained from the United
States. Name the ingredients and what state or part of the United States they
came from.
4. What are the possible ways the ingredients were shipped to a food processor?
5. Look at the nutrition part of the label.
How many calories are there per serving?________________________
How many calories come from fat? _____________________________
6. Read what DV means. How many suckers would you have to eat to exceed 100
percent of the DV of Carbohydrates? _____________________________
Nutrition facts and ingredients on our products. Percent (%) Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Dum Dum Pops
% Daily Value
Pop Size:
.235 oz
Serving Size:
2 pops (13 grams)
Calories:
51
Total Fat:
0 grams
0%
Trans Fat:
0 grams
n/a
Sodium:
0 mg
0%
Total Carbs:
13 grams
4%
Sugars:
10 grams
n/a
Protein:
0 grams
n/a
Ingredients: Sugar, Corn Syrup, Citric Acid, Malic Acid, Salt, Artificial Flavor, Color Added (Includes Red 40,
Yellow 6, Yellow 5, Blue 1). Store in a cool dry place. This product does not contain peanuts, tree nuts, milk,
eggs, wheat, soy, or gluten. It has been manufactured on dedicated equipment. There is a trace amount of soy oil
in the lubricant that we use in our cooking kettles. This soy oil has been refined, bleached, and deodorized and all
of the proteins have been removed.
25
7. Look up sodium in the dictionary. What is a synonym for it? ____________
8. Using an encyclopedia, look up calcium, iron, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin. Define
these and name other foods that are good sources of these.
Calcium —
Iron —
Thiamin —
Riboflavin —
Niacin —
Fun Dum Dum History and Facts
Dum Dum Pops were originated by Akron Candy Company in Bellevue, Ohio in 1924.
The name Dum Dum was chosen because it was easy for children to say.
Spangler candy purchased the Dum Dum Pop in 1953 and moved the operation to
Bryan, Ohio.
Dum Dums are made in about sixteen different flavors; nine or ten of these flavors are
classic flavors; 5 or 6 are cycled in and out.
The “Mystery Flavor,” present in every bag of Dum Dums, is a combination of two flavors which occurs when one flavor of suckers is finished in the machine and new flavor
is started.
Dum Dums have their own mascot—The Dum Dum Drum man who has been around
since 1966!
Over 84 million Dum Dums, amounting to 2 million pounds of candy, were made during
the first year of production.
Taste and vote for your favorite flavor on the website at www.dumdumpops.com
Information adapted from the Spangler Candy website: www.spanglercandy.com
26
Learning Objectives: Instruction in this lesson should result in students
achieving the following objectives:
1) Use directions provided to create a scale model of a wagon.
2) Assess a design to build a prototype
3) Record results from experiment.
4) Explain comprehension of project in writing.
Illinois Learning Standards: 7.A.1a; 7.A.2a; 7.C.1; 7.C.2a; 8.A.1a; 11.A.1c; 11.A.1e;
11.B.1b.
Illinois Assessment Framework: 7.3.02; 7.3.05; 7.4.02; 8.3.01; 11.4.01; 11.4.03;
11.4.05
Make Your Own Origami Wagon
Materials Needed:
1 Box Template—copied onto paper or cardstock
3 Straws—flexible if possible
Tape
Scissors
Directions:
1. Cut along the line that continues across the entire paper. Set aside the small piece
with circles on it that is left over.
2. With the square piece of paper, follow the origami box directions on the next page.
3. Once you have folded the origami box, put it aside and pick up the small piece of
cardstock with circles on it that you cut off the original sheet.
4. Cut around the circles to create 4 wheels.
5. Cut an X in the center of each wheel (like on the lid of a cup which you put a straw
into) to create a place for the wheel to slip onto the straws .
6. Cut 2 of the straws 5 inches in length.—removing the flexible part—to create the axles.
7. Tape the straws to the bottom of the box about 1/4 inch in from each side.
8. Place one wheel onto each end of the straw.
9. Cut the remaining straw 5 inches long—with the flexible part intact.—to create the
handle.
10.Tape the handle into place in the center of one end of the box.
11.Decorate your wagon in any way that you would like!
27
Directions:
1. Find the center of the box by folding the square into a triangle or a taco fold in
both directions. Unfold into a square.
2. Fold all of the corners to the center point.
3. Take one center point and fold it back to the middle of the edge of the square.
4. Repeat this step for each of the points in the center of the box.
5. Flip the entire square over.
6. Fold the left and right edge to the center of the square as shown in the picture
above.
7. Fold each of the corners under the top layer.
8. Open out center, gently.
9. Flatten sides and crease corners to create your box.
10. Tuck the flaps under the sides of the box.
11. Smile at how great you are for completing your origami box!
12. Follow directions for turning the box into a wagon on the previous page.
28
CUT
29
Answer the following questions as they pertain to your wagon.
1. Name two simple machines that are found on your wagon.
2. Explain how you found the center of your project to make your wagon. Is there
another way you could find the center?
3. Make a conclusion as to what might happen if you build your wagon with all lightweight paper? All heavy-weight paper?
4. There is an old saying that “A heavy wagon can tow no load.” What do you think
was meant by this saying? Explain.
Answer the following questions as they pertain to Willie’s Wagon.
1. What was Willie using, work or force, to move Mrs. Wright’s garbage? Explain.
2. Willie’s wagon has four wheels. What would be the difference for Willie if his wagon
only had two wheels? What if his wagon had one wheel?
3. What did Willie learn about using the tools that you have to help others while he
was visiting the farm?
30
A Hog Ate My Homework
Objectives:
Students will be able to identify vocabulary words and their
meanings.
Students will be able to read and comprehend a text using a variety
of methods.
Illinois Learning Standards: 1.A.1a; 1.A.1b; 1.B.1a; 1.B.2a; 1.B.2b; 1.B.1c; 1.B.1d;
1.B.2d; 1.C.1a; 1.C.3a; 1.C.1d; 1.C.2d; 2.A.1a; 2.A.1b; 2.B.1a; 2.B.2a; 2.B.1c;
3.C.1a
Illinois Assessment Framework: 1.3.01; 1.3.06; 1.3.07; 1.3.08; 1.3.12;1.3.13;
1.3.18; 1.3.20; 1.3.23; 1.3.24; 1.4.09; 1.4.10; 1.4.13; 1.4.15; 1.4.17; 1.4.21; 1.4.22;
2.3.01; 2.3.02; 2.3.02; 2.3.04; 2.3.06; 2.4.01
Introduction:
The next few pages are possible vocabulary words, discussion questions, character
development activities, and prediction activities for use with the book A Hog Ate My
Homework by Gary Metivier.
Pre-Reading Activity Ideas
What do hogs eat? Allow students to research what makes up the diet of a hog.
Allow students to use Corn Packing Peanuts to create objects as their predictions to
the following question:
From the picture on the front of the book and the title, what can you predict the
book A Hog Ate My Homework will be about?
Post-Reading Activity Ideas
Allow students to create sculptures out of clay or playdoh to create objects that
answer the following questions.
After reading the book, what are some products made from corn?
After reading the book, what are some products made from soybeans?
After reading the book, what are some products made from pigs?
31
A Hog Ate My Homework
Vocabulary Lesson Ideas:

Have students place each word on a card and the definition on the
back of the card. Students can also place a picture of each word on
the card if possible.

Have students create Tent Cards, with the word on the front and the
definition on the inside of the card.

Create a jeopardy game for assessment of vocabulary recognition.
Chapter 1
nervous
dreaded
torture
doomed
Chapter 2
tempted
shuffled
hobo
ATVs
Chapter 3
sentence
harvest
cured
Chapter 4
gazed
quilts
figurines
Chapter 5
calf
budge
gulped
p1
p2
p3
p5
p8
p9
p9
p 11
p 15
p 15
p 17
p 22
p 23
p 24
p 25
p 25
p 27
Chapter 6
slop
trough
feeders
bins
Chapter 7
hog
discovered
stampede
nipped
rescue
Chapter 8
scratch
mending
traditions
canister
batch
determined
Chapter 9
plowed
mules
stubborn
combine
cob
p 30
p 30
p 30
p 31
p 35
p 36
p 36
p 38
p 38
p 43
p 43
p 44
p 45
p 47
p 48
p 51
p 51
p 52
p 52
p 53
Chapter 10
produced
p 55
ethanol fuel p 56
Chapter 11
gauges
injured
p 60
p 61
Chapter 12
payment
crop
p 65
p 66
Chapter 13
admiring
introduce
p 68
p 69
Chapter 14
unique
uninspired
p 75
p 75
Chapter 15
mysterious
p 77
32
A Hog Ate My Homework
Discussion Question Ideas:
 Create a Clever Catch Ball with numbers and then number each of the
questions in a chapter and have students toss the ball in order to select a
question number.

Create literature circles to read each chapter and then have each group
answer the discussion questions based on their discoveries.
Chapter 1
What is the tone of the first chapter?
Chapter 2
Who do you think Willie's mom is calling?
Why does Willy want to be a farmer in his report?
Chapter 3
What did Willy find in the garage that he decided to take to the farm with him?
Who are Aunt Sandy and Uncle Kenny?
Where do Aunt Sandy and Uncle Kenny live?
How did Willy feel about finding his old wagon in the garage?
Chapter 4
Why does Willie think the farm is going to be boring?
Why does Willie think it is strange that there is a collection of miniature green farm
tractors at Aunt Sandy and Uncle Kenney's house?
Chapter 5
How does Ashley feel after feeding the calf?
Why does Uncle Kenny encourage Willie to change his shoes before feeding the pigs?
Chapter 6
What do pigs eat?
How do pigs keep cool?
What lesson can you predict Willie will learn when he goes into feed the pigs
against Uncle Kenny's advice?
Chapter 7
Willie calls the pigs "giant bacon bits." Why?
Why did the pigs start going after Willie?
What saved Willie from the pigs?
33
A Hog Ate My Homework
Discussion Questions Continued
Chapter 8
Why does Aunt Sally prefer to make her own pie and not buy one from the store?
What causes Willie to fall out of the bathtub?
What is the loud noise in the kitchen that Willie hears while he is in the bathtub?
Chapter 9
What does Uncle Kenney say he used mules for when he was a boy?
What does Uncle Kenney use now to do the same job the mules used to do? Why?
What happens to the corn harvested on the farm?
What did Willie learn about helping your neighbors?
Chapter 10
What products does Uncle Kenny say corn is part of at dinner?
What products are made from soybeans according to Aunt Sandy?
What does Uncle Kenney mean by "Tomorrow comes earlier on the farm than in the city”?
Chapter 11
What did Uncle Kenney, Willie, and the other farmers do for the farmer who broke his leg?
How did Willie become a "real-life farmer"?
Chapter 12
How was Willie able to harvest his first crop with the help of Uncle Kenney?
Why did helping the neighbor on the farm remind Willie about his wagon?
Chapter 13
What did Willie do to help Mrs. Wright, his neighbor?
Where did Willie go after helping Mrs. Wright?
Who went with him?
Chapter 14
Why was Willie so excited to talk about his weekend when he arrived at school on Monday?
What was the surprise Willie had for his classmates in his wagon?
What can ice cream be made from according to Willie?
Chapter 15
Why does Willie want to be a farmer after his weekend on the farm?
What did Willie learn about being a farmer?
34
NAME _____________________________
Venn Diagram
Have Students compare two items from the book A Hog Ate My Homework..
Possible suggestions include: Willie and the Farmer, Willie at the beginning of
the book and Willie at the end of the book, The Cow and The Hog.
35
NAME _____________________________
Follow the Clues
Can you predict what will happen next? Write the clues on the hoof-prints.
Then write your predication on the door.
CLUE
CLUE
CLUE
PREDICTION
36
37
How Character Acts
BEFORE
How Character Feels
What caused this
character to
change during the
story?
CAUSE
Character
How Character Acts
AFTER
How Character Feels
Character Development Story Map
NAME _______________________________________________________________
From the Piggy Bank
Additional Resources!!
A Field Guide to Pigs
By John Pukite
ISBN: 1-56044-877-6
Farm Animals, Pigs
By Rachael Bell
ISBN: 1-55810-366-8
From Farm to You; Sausage
By Carol Jones
ISBN: 0-7910-7006-9
Pigs
By Gail Gibbons
ISBN: 0-8234-1441-8
Green Eggs and Ham
By Dr. Seuss
ISBN: 0-394-80016-8
Welcome to Our Farm
National Pork Board
PO Box 10383, Des Moines Iowa 50306
Phone (515) 223-2600 www.pork.org
Pigs are Beautiful
by Dick King-Smith
Candlewick Press, Cambridge Mass, 1993
ISBN: 1-56402-431-8
See How They Grow: Pig
By Bill Ling
DK Publishing 1993
ISBN: 1-56458-204-3
Pigs
By Peter Brady
Bridgestone books by Capstone
Press 1996
ISBN: 1-56065-345-0
Pigs are Beautiful
by Dick King-Smith
Candlewick Press, Cambridge Mass,
1993
ISBN: 1-56402-431-8
For more information about Illinois Pork Production in our Pork Ag Mag. You can
receive a classroom set from your local county Agricultural Literacy Coordinator.
38
Piggy Back Facts
Farming and Pork Production
Illinois ranks #4 in the US pork production.
Many pork producers also raise corn and/or soybeans too. Feed makes up about
half of the cost of raising a pig!
Hog manure is used as an important fertilizerfor crops.
Pig’s Diet
A hog’s diet needs to be balanced. A pig’s diet is made up of ground corn, soybean
meal, vitamins, and minerals.
Pigs won’t over eat! One pig eats about 870 pounds of corn and 120 pounds of
protein and minerals to reach a market weight of 275 pounds.
Human Diet
Pork is an important part of our diet! Pork provides our body with protein, iron, zinc,
and B vitamins.
Compared to ten years ago, pork has 30 percent less fat, 14 percent fewer calories
and 10 percent less cholesterol.
Pork is the world’s most widely eaten meat! Cuts of Meat – Roast, Loin, Ham, Spare
Ribs, and Bacon.
What Do We Get?
There are over 500 by-products made from hogs! Examples of hog by-products are
fabric dyes from the hemoglobin, glue from the bones and skin, paint brushes
from the hair, cosmetics, crayons from the fatty acids and glycerin, and so much
more!
Are You My Mother?
A mother pig, or a sow, gives birth twice a year. An average litter is 8-12 piglets. A
piglet is a newborn pig.
Sows are pregnant for three months, three weeks, and three days!
Talk about HOT!
Pigs can’t sweat! Pigs used to have to roll around in mud to keep cool. Today,
farmers use fans and sprinklers to do the job.
Now Hear This!
A pig’s squeal ranges from 110-115 decibels. Compare that to the noise from a
Concorde supersonic jet, which is about 112 decibels!
Pigs are smart! They are the fourth smartest animal.
39
Let’s Make a Squeal!
DID YOU KNOW...
. . . That the Ancient Chinese were so loath to be separated from fresh pork that the
departed were sometimes accompanied to the grave with their herd of hogs?
. . . Where Wall Street got its name?
Free-roaming hogs were famous for rampaging through the valuable grain fields of colonial New York City farmers. The Manhattan Island residents chose to block the troublesome hogs with a long, permanent wall on the northern edge of what is now Lower
Manhattan. A street came to border this wall - named aptly enough, Wall Street.
. . . How "Uncle Sam" came to represent the U.S. Government?
During the War of 1812, a New York pork packer named Uncle Sam Wilson shipped a
boatload of several hundred barrels of pork to U.S. troops. Each barrel was stamped
"U.S." on the docks, and it was quickly said that the "U.S." stood for "Uncle Sam,"
whose large shipment seemed to be enough to feed the entire army. This is how
"Uncle Sam" came to represent the U.S. Government.
. . . Where the saying "living high on the hog" came from?
It started among enlisted men in the U.S. Army, who received shoulder and leg cuts of
pork while officers received the top loin cuts. So "living high on the hog" came to mean
living well.
. . . What's the origin of the saying "a pig in the poke"?
It was a common trick in 17th century England of trying to give away a cat to an unsuspecting "shopper" for a suckling pig (a young pig). When he opened the poke (sack),
he "let the cat out of the bag," and the trick was revealed.
. . . What's the origin of the saying "pork barrel" politics?
The phrase is derived from the pre-Civil War practice of distributing salt pork to the
slaves from huge barrels. By the 1870s, congressmen were referring to regularly dipping into the "pork barrel" to obtaining funds for popular projects in their home districts.
. . . What President Truman had to say about hogs?
"No man should be allowed to be President who does not understand hogs."
Trivia taken from http://www.theotherwhitemeat.com/aspx/page/page.aspx?id=5
40
Piggly Wiggly
Answer Page
Pig Tales
ISAT Answers
4th Grade
1. C
2. B
3. B
4. D
5. D
6. B
7. A
8. D
6th Grade
1. A
2. D
3. B
4. A
5. A
6. A
7. D
8. D
What’s in My Dum Dum?
1. Most = Sugar ; Least = Salt
2. Corn Syrup
3. Answers will vary
4. Answers will vary
5. Calories = 51 grams; Fat Calories = 0 grams
6. 25 suckers
7. Salt
41
Sponsored by:
42