Ma, I'm a Farmer

Written and Illustrated by Michael Martchenko
Published by Annick Press Ltd.
ISBN: 1-55037-697-7 (bound) ISBN: 1-55037-696-9 (pbk)

About the Book

Fred doesn't care for his city job. One day, just like that, he tells his bewildered mother, "Ma, I'm a farmer!" That'll be a relaxing change. But farm work is a lot harder than he realizes. When the going gets tough, Fred turns hi-tech - but will all those gizmos really solve his problems?

Pre-reading

A. Have the students look at the cover.

Does it look like the animals are with their new owner?
What time is it? Why are the animals in his bedroom?

B. This story provides an opportunity to talk about electricity, consumption and sustainability. Discuss with the students what electricity is, how it is made and the problems we have with "over-consumption".

Reading

Read the book to the students or have them read it independently.

Reviewing the Book

The teacher begins a discussion with the students with these questions:

Which page(s) made you laugh? Why?
Why are the illustrations important to the book?
What kind of research do you think the author/ illustrator did to create this book?
What do you think happens next if the story was to continue?

Book follow-up

Vocabulary:

automatic
furrow
dispenser
billow
solar panel

Depending on the age and abilities of the students, there are numerous activities they could be engaged in as a follow-up. Teachers may choose from any/all of the following.

Writing

How did the book make you feel? Explain your answer with examples form the story.
What do you think Fred's mom will say to him after he makes her tea?
Does the story as a whole create a certain mood or feeling? What is the mood or feeling? How is it created?
Write a diary for Fred recounting his days as a farmer.
When Mr. Beezuns said, "I still say the old fashioned ways are the best", what do you think he meant?
Write a news article that informs the reader about an event from the story.
Is bigger always better? Give examples for the story to support your opinion.
Would the main character in this book fit into other stories you know? Can you think of similar stories?
Why do you think the author wrote this story?
Write a story about the events from Fred's cat's perspective.
Think of 5 good questions about the book. The answers should make someone interested in reading the book.
Select 5 "quotable quotes" from the book and list them.

Visual Arts

Draw a map of where the story happened.
Draw/paint you favourite part of the story.
Draw a series of 4 pictures to summarize the story.
Make a plasticine or clay model of one of Fred's inventions.
Invent a machine which would be helpful in the story.

Research

What are solar panels and how do they work?
Investigate forms of energy - e.g., wind, water.
Have students do the EC Home Energy Audit (found in the Resources section on the website).
On August 14, 2003 the largest blackout in history occurred. The northeast USA and central Canada power system broke up 4 seconds after an initial disturbance, and 50 million people were without electricity. Have students identify what their life would be like if there were no electricity. What positive things could they identify?
What are the activities that students are engaged in that use electricity? How many kilowatt-hours are used?
Choose a graphic organizer to demonstrate the key events in the story.