Welcome to Animal Husbandry, where we are going to learn about the long history that people have with domesticated animals and some of the ways they are used in the modern world. Days marked with an asterisk have something to print!

Day 1*

1. Watch the video about the history of animal domestication.
2. Print page 1 of the PDF and use the video to complete the crossword puzzle.

Day 2

1. Watch the end of the Americapox video (begin at 6:30). You can stop when he starts talking about plagues.
2. Watch the video explaining the reasons that zebras have not been domesticated.
3. Write a paragraph about the qualities wild animals needed in order to be a good candidate for domestication.

Day 3

1. Watch the video about the domestication of dogs.
2. Write a paragraph about how we think dogs were originally domesticated.

Day 4

1. Watch the video about the domestication of goats.
2. Write a paragraph about goat domestication. What resources did goats provide to people? Why did they become less popular around the 1100s? Why were goats not bred for specialized traits until more modern times?

Day 5

1. Watch the Story of Sheep. STOP after they talk about the difference between sheep and goat tails (18:50).
2. Write a paragraph about domestic sheep. How are they different from goats? Did they begin very differently from goats? What traits do they have now that separate them from goats?

Day 6

1. Watch the video about the domestication of chickens.
2. Write a paragraph about the domestication of the chicken. What are some major differences between junglefowl and modern domestic chickens?

Day 7

1. Read about the domestication of pigs.
2. Write a paragraph about pig domestication. Where were pigs originally domesticated? How did they interact with wild boars and did that affect their domesticated traits?

Day 8

1. Read about the domestication of cattle from aurochs.
2. Write a paragraph about cattle domestication. How to modern cattle compare to their wild ancestors? How many domestication events do we know about?

Day 9

1. Watch the video about cat domestication.
2. Write a paragraph about domesticated cats. How do we think cats were domesticated in the first place? What animal did they descend from? What useful purpose did cats serve that made them desirable for domestication?

Day 10

1. Read about the domestication and history of llamas.
2. Write a paragraph about llamas. What makes them so special compared to other domestic animals? What are llamas used for?

Day 11

1. Today, watch How the Horse Transformed Human History.

Day 12

1. Watch the video about the domestication of the camel.
2. Write a paragraph about camel domestication. Why are they so valuable as domestic animals? What role do they serve that could not be filled by cattle, pigs, or horses?

Day 13

1. Read about the domestication of wild turkeys.
2. Write a paragraph about turkey domestication. Where did they originate? What are they used for?

Day 14

1. Read about the history of ducks.
2. Write a paragraph about duck domestication. What breed did most domestic ducks descend from? Which breed is separate?

Day 15

1. Watch the video about the history of honeybees.
2. Write a paragraph about honeybees. What resources did they provide to people? How were bees kept in ancient Egypt?

Day 16

1. Watch the video about the history of silkworms.
2. Write a paragraph about silkworms. Where were they originally discovered? How is silk made?

Day 17

1. Read about the history of reindeer.
2. Write a paragraph about reindeer. What purposes do they serve and what are they used for? What climate do they live in?

Day 18

1. Watch the video about water buffalo.
2. Write a paragraph about water buffalo. Where do they live and what benefits does their domestication provide?

Day 19

1. Watch the video about domestic yaks.
2. Write a paragraph about yaks. What value do yaks provide? What climate are they adapted to?

Day 20

1. Read about how rabbits were domesticated.
2. Write a paragraph about rabbits. What resources are provided by domestic rabbits? What is a common use for them today?

Day 21

1. Watch this overview of animal domestication.
2. How is farming and food production different in areas that did not have a lot of animals to domesticate? How important are domesticated animals to human civilization? Write a paragraph with your thoughts.

Day 22

1. Today we are going to begin a unit on cattle. Cattle are some of the most important livestock animals in America. Read the intro to beef.
2. Create a new document titled “Beef Unit.” Look up the definition of ruminant, rangelands, and by-products and write their definitions in your document.

Day 23*

1. Read about the top 10 beef cattle breeds in America.
2. Watch the video “Where the Best Beef in America Comes From.” It’s about a breeding ranch for Angus cattle.
*3. Print the worksheets and use the website in #1 to identify the cattle breeds. Save these papers in your notebook.

Day 24*

1. Watch the video about ruminant digestion.
2. Print the “chew it twice” activity. Use this diagram to draw the path food takes through a cow’s digestive system.

Day 25

1. Watch the video about beef by-products.
2. Read over the list of beef by-products. How many things on the list do you use every day?

Day 26

1. Take a look at the map of beef cattle in the United States. Which states have the most beef cattle?
2. Play the game The Steaks are High. What do you learn about the production of beef in this game?

Day 27

1. Watch the video that tracks cows from farm to table.
2. Write a paragraph explaining the process.

Day 28

1. Today you are going to be learning cattle terminology. Why do you think people who raise cattle have such specific terminology for types of cattle?
2. Read over the vocabulary words and look at their definitions.
3. Practice!

Day 29

1. Today we are moving on to dairy cattle! Watch the video about the top 7 breeds in the United States.
2. Read “Meet the Cows!”

*Day 30

1. Print the worksheet and identify the breeds of dairy cattle listed. You can use the link from yesterday to help you. Save this worksheet in your notebook.

Day 31

1. Watch the video about how a dairy farm runs. What are three different jobs that are done on the dairy farm?

Day 32

1. Read 35 fun facts about dairy!

*Day 33

1. You are going to do a project to demonstrate what you have learned about the cattle industry in the United States.
*2. Today print and complete the cattle breeds piece and cattle by-products pieces. Save these pieces for your project.

*Day 34

1. Today print and complete the cows in the family piece.
2. Print the map piece and color it according to beef cattle distribution in the United States. Here is a map with the numbers you need!

*Day 35

1. Print the map piece and color it according to dairy cattle distribution in the United States. Here is a map with the numbers you need.
2. Print the piece on ruminant vocabulary. Cut out the pieces and write the definitions. Here are the definitions that are specific to animal husbandry.

*Day 36

1. Print the piece about cattle digestion. Use the diagram here to fill it out!
2. Print the piece about dairy products. Write a different dairy product on each petal. Here is a page to help you think of dairy products.

*Day 37

1. Watch the video, “What do our dairy cows eat?”
2. Print the lapbook piece about cattle feed and fill it out. Here is a list of the vocabulary to help you!

Day 38

1. We’re taking a break from lapbook pieces today! Instead, watch the “Cattle First” documentary.

*Day 39

1. Read the ‘Calf Facts‘ and use them to fill out the “All About Calves” lapbook piece.
2. In 2017, the US produced 26.3 billion pounds of beef and 223 billion pounds of milk. Print the cattle uses lapbook piece and add this information behind the flaps.

Day 40*

1. Print the cow anatomy piece and use the key to label the parts of a cow.

Day 41

1. Today assemble your cattle project and present it. You can glue your pieces to a lapbook, file folder, or poster.

Day 42

1. Today we are going to begin a unit on chickens! Chickens are a very popular animal to keep at home or on small farms, but they are also kept and produced on a massive industrial level. We are mostly going to study small scale chicken production, but we are also going to learn some about industrial chicken farming.
2. Watch “How to Raise Baby Chickens.” Did you learn anything new?

Day 43

1. Now watch part 2 of raising chickens.

Day 44

1. Watch the video about moving the chickens to their new coop.

Day 45

1. Watch the video about preparing for chickens to lay eggs.

You’ve finished the first quarter! Move on to Quarter 2!