Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom

March Page

In Like A Lion, Out Like A Lamb

 This phrase has its origins with the constellations Leo, the Lion, and Aries, the ram or lamb. It has to do with the relative positions of these constellations in the sky at the beginning and end of the month. For those of us who live through Oklahoma's volatile spring weather, it is an apt description of this month.

 

Before improved animal husbandry made lamb available year round, lamb meat was only available in spring. For that reason, lamb was associated with spring and called "spring lamb."

Spring is the time when most farm animal babies are scheduled to be born. Learn more with these lessons:

Farm Babies

Great Expectations

 

In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb

March roars in like a lion
So fierce,
The wind so cold,
It seems to pierce.
The month rolls on
And Spring draws near,
And March goes out
Like a lamb so dear

by Lorie Hill

 
  • Read the poem "In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb" above.
  • Students discuss the imagery in the poem. How is the wind like a lion?
  • Students use an online search engine to find weather forecasts for the month of March.
  • Students predict at the beginning of the month whether there will be more lion (windy) days or lamb (calm) days.
  • Students design a chart to keep track of lion days and lamb days for the month.
  • Students vote each day a "lion" day or "lamb" day.

Writing Prompts

  • March comes in like a _______ and goes out like a ________. Make up your own analogy for March and write a poem.
  • Write 10 things about wind.

Uneven heating of the Earth's surface causes the wind to blow. Many societies have long taken advantage of this energy to travel great distances and perform diverse tasks such as grinding grains, sawing and pumping water. Modern wind turbines using advanced technologies are able to produce electricity for homes, businesses, and even utilities.

Explore the history of windmills with Writing the Wind

Wind Farms

"When storms come, some build walls, some are thrown by the wind. Others build wind mills." Lao Tzu

Wind power is the fastest growing of the renewable energies. Large machines called turbines have long blades that are turned by the wind. As the blades turn electricity is generated. This electricity can then move down power lines and to your home. Oklahoma is ranked 9th in the country for wind power. We already have five wind farms in our state, located in Custer, Harper, Woodward, Comanche and Caddo Counties. The electricity generated by these wind farms can power 175,000 homes. Nationwide large wind turbines on farms and ranches average 1,035 kW in generating capacity.

Source: Oklahoma Wind Power Initiative

P.A.S.S.

  • PreK - Oral Language: 1.1; 2.1,5. Reading: 8.4. Math: 5.2. Science Process: 1.1. Earth Science: 4.2
  • Kindergarten - Oral Language: 1.2. Reading: 6.3. Math: 5.1,2. Science Process: 1.3. Earth Science: 3.2
  • Grade 1 - Reading: 6.1a. Science Process: 2.1; 4.3. Earth Science 3.2
  • Grade 2 - Reading: 5.1; 6.3. Science Process: 2.1; 4.3.
  • Grade 3 - Reading: 4.1a; 5.3. Science Process: 2.1; 4.3.
  • Grade 4 - Reading: 3.1b; 4.3b. Science Process: 2.1; 4.1.
  • Grade 5 - Reading: 3.1b; 4.1b,3bcd. Science Process: 2.1; 4.1. Earth Science: 3.2.

March Page

Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom

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Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom is a program of the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry and the Oklahoma State Department of Education.