Colorado Reader March 2019: The Story of Colorado Beef | Page 9

Educator’s Guide
The Story of Colorado Beef
Colorado Academic Standard Focus
4th & 5th Grade Reading, Writing, and Communicating:
• Determine the meaning of words and phrases as
they are used in a text, including figurative language
such as metaphors and similes. (CCSS: RL.5.4)
• Refer to details and examples in a text when
explaining what the text says explicitly and when
drawing inferences from the text. (CCSS: RL.4.1)
• By the end of year, read and comprehend informational
texts, including history/social studies, science, and
technical texts, in the grades 4–5 text complexity
band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at
the high end of the range. (CCSS: RI.4.10)
4th Grade Life Science:
• Use evidence to develop a scientific explanation of
what plants and animals need to survive (DOK 1-3)
National Agriculture Literacy Outcomes
Plants and Animals for Food, Fiber & Energy Outcomes
• Understand the concept of stewardship and
identify ways farmers/ranchers care for soil,
water, plants, and animals (i.e. upcycling)
Food, Health and Lifestyle Outcomes
• Diagram the path of production for a
processed product, from farm to table
Answers
Page 3 - Q&A
Q: What county has the most beef cows
and calves? A: Weld County
Q: Can you name the five counties that are in the 100,000
to 499,999 range? A: Yuma County, Morgan County,
Logan County, Kit Carson County, and Prowers County
Q: What is the range of cattle numbers for the county
where you live? A: Answers will vary based on location.
Q: How many counties raise between 10,000 and
99,999 beef cows and calves? A: 30 counties
Page 6 - Match the Feeds
Answer 1: B. Steam Flaked Corn
Answer 2: D. Sugar Beet Pellets
Answer 3: E. Mixed Ration
Answer 4: A. Grass/Hay
Answer 5: C. Rolled Oats
Page 7 - How do you upcycle?
Answers will vary. If the students used the Colorado
Reader “Taste It, Don’t Trash It!” on reducing food waste,
perhaps their answers will correlate to that topic.
Student Worksheet
1. More than 91 percent of beef cattle farms and
ranches in the United States are family owned.
2. Colorado is home to 11,600 farms and
ranches with beef cattle and calves.
3. The northeast region of Colorado raises the most cattle.
4. Feedyard description is on page 5.
Additional Resources
www.GrowingYourFuture.com - The Colorado Foundation for
Agriculture is a 501(c)3 non-profit educational corporation and
works with industry partners to help meet our shared vision of
advancing Colorado agricultural literacy. We provide Agriculture
in the Classroom resources and programs to Colorado educators
and students, many of which are FREE or at minimal cost. Visit
our website for more information about our programs, browse
our online digital library, or search the Curriculum Matrix.
www.cobeef.com - The Colorado Beef Council offers a wide
variety of educational materials FREE to educators in Colorado.
One great resource is the Legacy of Cattle in Colorado DVD.
The 14-minute video highlights how the cattle industry takes
care of the environment in Colorado as well as benefiting the
economic livelihood of the state. The interviews in the video
exemplify the love and dedication to the land, water and
animals by those in agriculture.
www.BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com - A great resource for all
things beef. Website includes videos and additional educational
resources that can be used in the classroom.
Lesson Plans from the Curriculum Matrix
The Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Matrix is an online,
searchable, and standards-based database for K-12 teachers.
The Matrix contextualizes national education standards in
science, social studies, and nutritional education with relevant
instructional resources linked to Common Core Standards.
Below are a few lesson plans that could be used in conjunction
with this Colorado Reader on Careers in Agriculture. Go to
www.GrowingYourFuture.com and click on Curriculum Matrix
(on the Home Page or under the Educator’s Tab), search each
title within the Curriculum Matrix to find these lesson plans.
A search of the Curriculum Matrix for “beef” yields many
results for lesson plans and companion resources. Feel free
to conduct your own search. Here are a few of the options:
At Home on the Range (Grades 3-8): Students will learn
about rangelands by participating in a hands-on activity of
growing their own grass to represent a beef or sheep ranch.
Beef Basics: Students will explain the importance of the
beef cattle industry, including the products cattle produce,
the production process from farm to plate, and how cattle
can utilize and obtain energy from grass and other forage.
Ranch Starter Kit: Need a great way to connect students to
rangeland? Have them start their own ranch! This kit includes
35 jiffy peat pellet pots and enough grass seed to fill each pot.
As your class learns about cattle grazing throughout our history,
each student will be able to see how grazing can help - or hurt
- rangeland, and will understand the importance of keeping our
lands healthy. Order this kit online from agclassroomstore.com.