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Oklahoma Agriculture in the Classroom

Classroom Resources



Agriculture-Related Books

Farm Animals in Nonfiction — Swine

Pigs
Gibbons, Gail
Holiday House, 2003
Grades K-3
Basic characteristics, common breeds, intelligence, behavior, life cycle, and uses of pigs are presented in a colorful and readable format. Topics include the history of the domestication of the pig, the use of pigs to locate truffles, the birth and growth of pigs, and the uses of pigs for food and leather. Gibbons also debunks common myths about pigs: "Many people think pigs are smelly and dirty. They think pigs 'eat like pigs' and aren't very smart. That's because they don't know pigs!" We learn that there are about 300 breeds of pigs, that pigs are very smart, have good hearing, poor eyesight, beautiful, long eyelashes, and can run as fast as 30 miles per hour.
Rosie the Pig
Hartfield, Rebekah, and Sarah Haug
Veterinarian Book Series, 2017
Grades K-3
Written and published by a practicing veterinarian from Cushing, the book follows the story of young Abby as she discovers, examines and diagnoses her pig's case of pneumonia, with the help of her vet, Dr. H. Inside the book, there are also quizzes and checklists to help young readers learn and retain information about animal and pet care.
Pig
Older, Jules, and Lyn Severance
Charlesbridge, 2004
Information ranges from number of pigs in the world and different breeds to fun trivia. Older's text is humorous and material is often presented in the form of a question. Bright, cheery illustrations depict pigs on farms in Indiana, in bamboo forests in China, and even, in the case of the Vietnamese Potbelly, on a boy's lap in a family home. Quirky drawings show a pig on a motorcycle (or a pig on a Hog) and one in Denmark reading stories by Hans Christian Andersen. The artist includes illustrated maps of the regions of the world where these animals live.
A Field Guide to Pigs
Pukite, John
Globe Pequot, 1999
Easy-to-understand descriptions and illustrations of more than 30 breeds of pigs. The field guide also includes a time line of pig history, a list of famous and remarkable pigs, pig quotes, and much, much more.
PigsĀ (Down on the Farm)
Ray, Hannah
Crabtree, 2008
Grades PreK-2
Life on a Pig Farm
Wolfman, Judy, and David Lorenz Winston
Lerner, 2002
Grades K-4
Alisha, the oldest of three sisters who live on Maple Lane Farm, narrates this photo-essay about the day-to-day activities involved in raising pigs. The events surrounding the birth of a litter of pigs is the highlight, with lots of great pictures of the newborn and a careful description of how the babies are cared for in the moments and weeks after birth. Most of the remaining text follows the girls as they do the chores associated with raising pigs. Color photographs capture the spirit and dedication of the three youngsters, whose hard work and willingness to accept responsibility will gain the admiration of readers. Because the family's involvement in pig farming began as a 4-H project for Alisha, Wolfman concludes with a page of information on 4-H.