RANCH LIFE SERIES | BOOK 1 | RANCHING & LIVESTOCK:
Chapter 4
Content Area:
Social Studies
Topic:
Choose Your Own Adventure
Objective:
Students will compare needs and wants as they learn how a ranch makes a profit.
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS):
K.6A, K.6B, K.6C, 1.7A, 1.8B, 1.8C, 1.10B, 2.10A, 2.10B, 3.7A,
3.7B, 3.8A, 3.8B, 4.10B, 4.12A, 4.12E, 5.12A, 5.12B, 5.13B
ACTIVITY 3Choose Your Own Adventure Book
A3 - 1
EDUCATOR'S GUIDE ACTIVITY 3
Choose Your Own Adventure BookCONTENT AREA: Social Studies
TOPICS: Economics
ACTIVITY MATERIALS:
• SECURITY BRIEFING (page A3-2): 1 per student or student group
• CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE BOOK: “WILL HANK GET TO EAT?” (pages A3-3 to A3-12):
Copy/Print PDF front & back, staple bind, 1 book per student or student group.
Please note the instructions regarding production of the different versions of the resource below:
* If copying from Curriculum Guide:
• Duplex copy pages A3-3 to A3-12 (2-Sided to 2-Sided, Flip Side: Long)
• Fold each page in the middle, put pages in order, staple twice on the fold to bind book together
* If printing from the downloadable PDF for Activity 3:
• PAGES TO PRINT: 5-14
• PAGE SIZING & HANDLING: Actual Size (not Fit)
• LAYOUT/FINISH: Print Type - 2 Sided; Binding Position - LEFT Bind
• Fold each page in the middle, put pages in order, staple twice on the fold to bind book together
• THE BOTTOM LINE (pages A3-14): Copy/Print PDF, 1 per student or student group
READING STRATEGY:
Students will read Chapter 4 (pages 11-22) before completing the activity.
ACTIVITY INSTRUCTIONS:
• Give each student (or student group) the CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE BOOK: “WILL HANK GET
TO EAT?”
• Have students read through the book to make choices for Sally May and Loper. Encourage them to try again
and again until Hank gets to eat.
STUDENT SKILLS ASSESSMENT:
• Have students (or student groups) complete THE BOTTOM LINE worksheet at the end of the activity.
A3 - 1DOWNLOADABLE PDFs AVAILABLE ONLINE AT RANCHLIFELEARNING.COM
A3 - 2
Choose Your Own Adventure BookSECURITY BRIEFING —
WORDS OF WISDOM FROM HANK THE COWDOG:
Loper and Sally May had to make a lot of choices when they decided to become ranchers.
Each decision they make has an impact on everyone on the ranch. They can’t feed the most
important person on the ranch (their cowdog) unless they are making a profit in the cattle market.
So, I have to keep on top of them to make sure Loper is not using our money for shiny new spurs
instead of cow feed.
Sally May and Loper have to make sure all of the ranch’s needs (feeding Hank) are taken care
of, before they purchase their wants (Loper’s fancy spurs). Help Sally May and Loper make good
choices as you read through the book. Remember, the most important need of the ranch is to
keep the Head Of Ranch Security well fed!
ACTIVITY INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Read through the HANK THE COWDOG CHOOSE YOUR OWN ACTIVITY BOOK
"WILL HANK EAT?" and make decisions for Loper and Sally Mae.
2. Think about your budget as you make decisions that will affect the entire ranch.
WRAP UP:
Fill out THE BOTTOM LINE worksheet after you have completed the activity.
RA
NC
H L
IFE
WIT
H H
AN
K T
HE
CO
WD
OG
CH
OO
SE
YO
UR
O
WN
AD
VE
NT
UR
E!
Will Hank Eat?
AC
TIV
ITY
CR
EA
TE
D B
Y JE
NN
Y G
AO
NA
Lope
r an
d S
ally
May
had
to
make
a
lot o
f ch
oices
whe
n th
ey d
ecid
ed t
o
beco
me ra
nche
rs. E
ach
decisi
on t
hey
make
has
an
impa
ct o
n eve
ryon
e on
the
ranc
h. T
hey
can’t
fee
d th
e mo
st
impo
rtan
t pe
rson
on
the
ranc
h
(the
ir co
wdog
) un
less t
hey
are
makin
g
a pr
ofit
in th
e ca
ttle
mark
et. S
o, I
have
to
keep
on t
op o
f th
em t
o ma
ke
sure
Lop
er is
not
usin
g ou
r mo
ney
for
shiny
new
spu
rs in
stea
d of
cow
fee
d.
Sall
y M
ay a
nd L
oper
hav
e to
make
sur
e all
of
the
ranc
h’s n
eeds
(fee
ding
Han
k) a
re t
aken
car
e of
,
befo
re t
hey
purc
hase
the
ir wa
nts
(Lop
er’s
fanc
y sp
urs)
. Help
Sall
y M
ay
and
Lope
r ma
ke g
ood
choic
es
as y
ou r
ead
thro
ugh
the
book.
Reme
mber
, the
mos
t im
port
ant
need
of t
he ra
nch
is to
kee
p th
e
Head
Of R
anch
Sec
urity
well
fed
!
— H
ank
the
Cow
dog
—
OP
TIO
N 1
Afte
r ca
refu
lly c
on
side
ring
the
ir op
tion
s, th
ey
ge
t a lo
an
from
a b
an
k a
nd
use
the
m
on
ey
to re
nt la
nd
an
d ru
n a
ran
ch
.
Turn to Page 3
OP
TIO
N 2
Th
ey
de
cid
e ra
nc
hin
g is to
o risk
y
an
d c
ho
ose
to sta
y in
the
city
, inste
ad
.
Turn to Page 11
Wh
at sh
ou
ld th
ey
do
?
Sally M
ay and Loper are thinking about
purchasing land and livestock and becoming ranchers.
— 1 —
— 1
6 —
Sally M
ay and Loper fill
Hank’s food bowl
to overflowing.
HANK GETS
TO EA
T!
GR
EA
T JO
B!!
The ranch is success
ful!
— 1
5 —
All
of t
he h
orse
s do
not
fit
into
the
bar
n an
d ha
ve
to s
tay
outd
oors
in t
he
corra
l. Fiv
e ho
rses
run
off
durin
g a
light
ning
stor
m!
Seve
n co
wboy
s lea
ve t
he
ranc
h be
caus
e th
ey c
ould
make
mor
e mo
ney
work
ing
for
anot
her
ranc
her.
* TU
RN T
O PA
GE 11
*
— 3
—
OP
TIO
N 1
Re
nt 7
,50
0 a
cre
s of la
nd
.
Turn to Page 5
OP
TIO
N 2
Re
nt 9
,00
0 a
cre
s of la
nd
.
Turn to Page 11
Wh
at sh
ou
ld th
ey
do
?
How many acres should S
ally May and Loper lea
se? They have a land budget of $
40,000. Lease for the
land is $5 per acre, per yea
r.
— 1
4 —
OP
TIO
N 1
Ye
s, the
ir ex
pe
nse
s we
re le
ss tha
n w
ha
t the
y
bo
rrow
ed
an
d th
ey
ha
ve
mo
ne
y le
ft ov
er.
Turn to Page 8
OP
TIO
N 2
No
, ex
pe
nse
s we
re g
rea
ter th
an
the
loa
n
am
ou
nt, a
nd
no
w th
ey
're in
de
bt.
Turn to Page 11
Did S
ally May and Loper
make a profit on their ranch this yea
r? The total money they borrowed from the bank was $
1,000,000.00.R
ANC
H EXPENSES
Land $
40,000C
attle
$600,000
Feed
$450
Pickup $
25,000S
tock Trailer $
50,000C
owboys $
100,000
— 4
—
Lope
r go
es t
o th
e ba
nk
and
asks
if h
e ca
n
borro
w mo
re m
oney
.
The
bank
say
s NO
.
It loo
ks li
ke y
ou h
ave
made
a c
hoice
tha
t
will
lose
mone
y.
* TU
RN T
O PA
GE 11
*
— 1
3 —
OP
TIO
N 1
It's
a g
rea
t ti
me
to
se
ll t
o m
ak
e a
la
rge
r p
rofi
t.
Sa
lly
Ma
y a
nd
Lo
pe
r se
ll 2
00
ca
lve
s fo
r
$1,
00
0 e
ac
h.
Turn
to P
age 1
4
OP
TIO
N 2
Sa
lly
Ma
y a
nd
Lo
pe
r d
ec
ide
ag
ain
st
sell
ing
an
y c
alv
es
at
this
tim
e.
Turn
to P
age 1
1
Wh
at
sho
uld
th
ey
do
?
Sall
y M
ay a
nd L
oper
hea
d to
the
spr
ing m
arke
t
to s
ell t
heir
calve
s.
The
catt
le ma
rket
is h
igh.
— 5
—
OP
TIO
N 1
Sa
lly M
ay
an
d L
op
er b
uy
15
0 b
ulls a
nd
150
co
ws.
Turn to Page 12
OP
TIO
N 2
Sa
lly M
ay
an
d L
op
er b
uy
2
80
co
ws a
nd
20
bu
lls.
Turn to Page 6
Wh
at sh
ou
ld th
ey
do
?
Sally M
ay and Loper nee
d to buy both bulls and cows for their ranch.
They need to decide how
many of each they will nee
d.
— 1
2 —
Sally M
ay and Loper bought too
many bulls and not enough cows.
They do not have enough calves in the spring to sell and make a profit.
Sally M
ay and Loper are not able to pay back their loan from the bank.
* TURN TO PAGE 11 *
— 6
—
OP
TIO
N 1
Sa
lly
Ma
y a
nd
Lo
pe
r b
uy
15
ho
rse
s a
nd
w
ill
pa
y f
or
15 c
ow
bo
ys
roo
m a
nd
bo
ard
.
Turn
to P
age 1
5
OP
TIO
N 2
Sa
lly
Ma
y a
nd
Lo
pe
r b
uy
a p
ick
up
tru
ck
a
nd
a s
toc
k t
rail
er.
Th
ey
als
o e
mp
loy
tw
o c
ow
bo
ys
to w
ork
on
th
e r
an
ch
.
Turn
to P
age 9
Wh
at
sho
uld
th
ey
do
?
Sall
y M
ay a
nd L
oper
nee
d to
che
ck t
heir
catt
le,
but
can’t
do
it on
the
ir ow
n.
They
will
need
some
help
.
— 1
1 —
Sall
y M
ay a
nd L
oper
do
not
mak
e en
ough
mon
ey
to f
eed
their
cow
dog.
HANK
HA
S T
O GO
ES H
UNGR
Y!
* TU
RN T
O PA
GE 1
*
OH
, NO
!
Sta
rt ov
er a
nd t
ry aga
in?
— 7
—
Sally M
ay and Loper rea
lize they do not have enough fee
d for winter.
* TURN TO PAGE 11 *
— 10
—
OP
TIO
N 1
Sa
lly M
ay
an
d L
op
er c
are
fully
c
alc
ula
te w
ha
t is ne
ed
ed
, a
nd
de
cid
e to
bu
y $
45
0 w
orth
of fe
ed
.
Turn to Page 13
OP
TIO
N 2
Sa
lly M
ay
an
d L
op
er ta
ke
a g
ue
ss a
nd
on
ly b
uy
$10
0 w
orth
of fe
ed
.
Turn to Page 7
Wh
at sh
ou
ld th
ey
do
?
Sally M
ay and Loper have to decide on how much fee
d they are going to buy for the cows on their ranch to make it through the winter months. Fee
d costs $150 per month.
— 8
—
Sall
y M
ay a
nd L
oper
ma
ke a
pro
fit a
nd
have
a s
uccess
ful y
ear
on
the
ranc
h.
Th
ey a
re a
lready
mak
ing
plans
for
next
year!
* TU
RN T
O PA
GE 16
*
— 9
—
OP
TIO
N 1
Sa
lly
Ma
y a
nd
Lo
pe
r w
ou
ld p
refe
r to
ge
t a
h
igh
er
pri
ce
on
th
eir
ca
ttle
, so
th
ey
de
cid
e
no
t to
se
ll u
nti
l th
e m
ark
et
ch
an
ge
s.
Turn
to P
age 1
0
OP
TIO
N 2
Sa
lly
Ma
y a
nd
Lo
pe
r b
eli
ev
e s
ell
ing
so
me
o
f th
e c
att
le w
ill
all
ow
th
em
to
be
tte
r c
are
fo
r th
e c
att
le t
ha
t re
ma
in o
n t
he
ra
nc
h.
Turn
to P
age 4
Wh
at
sho
uld
th
ey
do
?
Fall
has
come
and
S
ally
May
and
Lop
er
have
to
make
som
e de
cision
s.
The
grass
has
sto
pped
gr
owing
and
has
no
nutr
ition
al va
lue f
or t
he c
attle.
The
catt
le ma
rket
is lo
w.
A3 - 13
A3 - 14
Choose Your Own Adventure NAME: __________________________________ DATE: ______________
THE BOTTOM LINE
Sally May and Loper make a lot of decisions as they run their ranch. These choices can impact
the most vital needs of a cattle ranch, such as, what are you going to feed your cowdog?
Were you able to be successful and help Sally May and Loper make a profit on their cattle ranch?
Answer the questions below:
1. What was the most difficult decision you had to make in the book?
2. What decisions would have made the ranch fail? Explain.
3. What decisions would have helped the
ranch succeed? Explain.
4. Did the ranch make a profit? Explain.
5. What recommendations would you give
Sally May and Loper for next year?