Use these farm activities from the RSPCA to introduce your young learners to the topic of farm animal welfare.
The resources cover where our food comes from, the needs of farm animals and how we can be compassionate citizens and make ethical choices to help improve the welfare of animals reared for food.
The UK rears more than 900 million cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry each year for food production, along with many millions of farmed fish.
Caged hens vs free-range
This fun lesson explores the differences between caged hens and free-range hens kept for commercial egg production and the associated welfare issues. Pupils learn to identify the method of production from the information given on the egg box.
Animal senses
In this lesson, pupils will label the external parts of five animals farmed in the UK – cattle, sheep, pigs, hens and ducks. They will consider how people and farm animals use their senses.
Egg production
In this lesson, pupils will design a logo/packaging for eggs laid by chickens in an egg-production system of their choice.
Their logo will explain the production system in which the eggs have been produced and provide consumers with the information they need to make an informed decision about which eggs to buy.
Ethical consumerism
In this lesson, pupils consider how they can help consumers make informed choices about farm animal products. They look at examples of adverts, labelling and packaging for information as to how the farmer has kept the animal.
Produce posters to highlight which conditions farmers have kept the animals in and how consumers can make ethical choices.
The needs of farm animals
In this lesson pupils will learn what a farmer needs to do to meet the needs of farm animals. It is based on the popular story Farmer Duck, written by Martin Waddell.
Pupils act out a study based on what would happen on Farmer Duck’s day off – the farmer needs to do everything to ensure that the farm animals are happy and healthy. To prepare for this lesson, pupils could make their own farm animal masks.
Farm activities resources
- Starter, main and plenary activities
- Curriculum objectives
- Learning outcomes
- Vocabulary
- Worksheets
- Factsheets
- Images
- Teachers’ notes
Find more great resources from the RSPCA at education.rspca.org.uk/education and follow @RSPCA_official on Twitter.
