THE YEAR OF NO MORE CORN is a wonderful book to integrate into Science lessons.

1. Children enjoy learning the different aspects of farming corn.

a. Have the children go to the library to research corn. They should answer the questions on the enclosed sheet. It's important for the students to know why corn is an important crop, where it grows, and how long it takes to grow it and harvest it.
b. If possible, take the class to a local farm where corn is grown so that they can see what it looks like and how it is grown.
c. Have a local farmer who farms corn visit and talk about farming.
d. Bring in an ear of corn and shuck it for the class. Put the students in groups (or give each child an ear of corn if possible) and let them shuck an ear of corn and see the silk and kernels. Have the children discuss what they learned and record it on chart paper.

3. Divide the class into groups of 4 or 5. Then, assign each group an actual part of the growing
process of corn. The groups should work together to think of a creative way to present this process
to the class. You may want to have each group make a model of their process (i.e.: planting the corn
or a small corn plant) so that all of the models can be put together to really illustrate the process of
growing corn.

4. Crows eat all of the corn at the end of the book so there is no more corn. Children love animals
and might enjoy researching crows to find out more about their behavior. You may want to create a
fun research project for your students.

5. In the book, it became so hot that the chicken eggs came out hard-boiled. You may want to do an experiment to see how hot water must be to hard-boil eggs. Then, the children can decorate the
eggs and/or eat them!

The book THE YEAR OF NO MORE CORN does a wonderful job of introducing students to
several different states. It is very important for students to have a strong understanding of  Geography.

1. The library is a wonderful resource for class research projects. Take your class to the library to research Indiana and answer the questions on the following sheet.

2. Ask the students to write letters to the Chamber of Commerce in Indiana to find out more about
this state.  You may want to ask the students to find out particular information.

3. Go to the school and/or local library and check out as many books on Indiana as possible.  Have
these available to the students so they can learn more about the state of Indiana.

4. Have the children locate Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois on the map.

5. Ask the children if the kernels really could have blown to the ocean. Ask them to name the closest ocean and how far it is from Indiana.

1. Children really benefit from using the computer during class research projects. Depending upon
the grade level of your class, try to let your students use the computer as much as possible.  Computer CD-ROM like Compton's Encyclopedia or Grollier's Encyclopedia are wonderful tools
for research.

2. It's nice to reward students for good work with time on the computer. Some excellent geography
games include THE OREGON TRAIL, THE OREGON TRAIL II, and WHERE IN THE
WORLD IS CARMEN SANDIEGO?.

3. Students benefit greatly from using the computer during Writing Workshop to enhance their
writing. Using a word processor helps the children learn how to edit their writing. There are also
many great programs that allow children to add graphics to their writing.

Children always enjoy art activities. The book THE YEAR OF NO MORE CORN lends itself to
many fun art activities.

1. Ask each child to choose a state that was mentioned in the book (Indiana, Illinois, Ohio). Then,
have the children create a model or picture of this state so that others can learn what the state is like.

2. Ask the children to think of another disaster that could have prevented the corn from growing.
Then, have them illustrate the disaster.

3. Give each child a page from the book to illustrate. Encourage them to just read the words and
draw their own illustration rather than copying the illustrator.

4. Using various materials, ask the children to create their own ear of corn.  Encourage them to be
creative!

5. It would be wonderful to teach older children how to whittle! You can bring in a whittler or some
samples of pieces that were whittled.

1. Ask the students to write about another disaster that could have kept the corn from growing in 1928.

2. The students could write a story about what it would be like to lose a major crop, like wheat, in
the present. How would it affect people? Ask older children to tell how it might hurt the economy.

3. There are many wonderful clichés in this book! Ask the students to create their won cliché and
then illustrate it.

4. Ask the children to answer the following questions in their journal:

a. Do you think the people and their homes were really blown to Illinois? Why or why not?
b. What do you think it would be like to live in the year of 1928?
c. Do you think that Old Grampa was really able to plant the ear of corn that he whittled? Did it really grow corn?
d. Did the wooden ear of corn really turn into a real piece of corn?
e. How do you think Old Grampa learned to whittle?
f. Do you think Old Grampa is a good storyteller? Why or why not?

6. Ask the children to read the book and look for any words that they may not understand. Then, have them use the dictionary to look up the meaning of those words.

7. Ask the children to define the following vocabulary words using context clues in the book or a dictionary:

whittling             hail                      solitary                elements
kernels               hard-boiled         tuckered out

9. If you knew how to whittle and you could make ANYTHING, what would you whittle?

10. If possible, ask someone who whittles to whittle for the class.

11. Have a class popcorn party to celebrate the end of your study of this wonderful book!