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Name: Gr. 4
SOCIAL SCIENCES
GEOGRAPHY
GRADE 4
Term 3
Food and farming in South Africa

Compiled by: Hannelie van der Merwe

Complies with 2023–2024 ATP
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Contents
Geography: Food and farming in South Africa
Grade 4
Term 3
UNIT CONTENT PAGE NO.
UNIT 1 People and food 2
1. Foods people eat: From plants and
animals. 2
2. Ways in which people get their food 3

UNIT 2 Ways of farming 4

1. Farming for self and family 4
(subsistence farming) 4
2. Farming crops and animals to sell 5
(commercial farming)
3. Growing food in towns and cities 6-7

UNIT 3 Crop farming: Important crops of

South Africa 8
1. Crop farming 8
2. Fruit farming areas 9
3. Case study of a fruit farm in SA 10 – 11
4. Case study of a grape and wine farm 12

UNIT 4 Animal or stock farms 13

1. Stock farms – location of main crop
and stock farming areas in SA 13
2. Case study of a chicken farm 15

UNIT 5 From the farm to your home 16

1. The story of a sandwich 16

TOPIC SUMMARY 18
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FOOD AND FARMING IN SOUTH AFRICA

Unit 1: People and Food

1. Foods people eat

Food is an important part of your everyday life. We all need food to live. It gives
us energy, helps us to grow and keeps us healthy. We eat many different kinds of
food. Have you ever wondered where your food comes from?

All the food that you eat comes from plants and animals. But do you know which
food comes from a plant and which food comes from an animal? Sometimes it
can be difficult to decide.

ACTIVITY 1 : Food from plants and animals

Look at the food pictures above and sort the foods into one of two groups:
Group 1 – “Comes from plants” and Group 2 – “Comes from animals”.
Copy the table into your workbook and complete the activity. The first
example has been done for you.

Comes from plants Comes from animals

1. cabbage 1.
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2.Ways in which people get their food

There are many ways in which people can get their food.

2.1 Buying
People who live in towns and cities buy their food.
They get their food from their local shops. This is
more convenient as they don’t have to grow, hunt or
fish for their food.
2.2 Growing
Farmers grows many different types of crops, for example wheat, on their
land. Wheat is used to make bread.
2.3 Collecting and hunting
In some parts of the world today, people still rely on collecting and hunting
for food. In South Africa, an example of such a community is the San. The
San live in the Kalahari Desert and the women spend a lot of time collecting
berries, roots, plants and fruit. The men hunt wild animals.
2.4 Fishing
Fish is a very good source of food. People who live near the
ocean, a river or lake are able to catch fish. Fresh water fish
are kept in dams and lakes. Fish that are caught from the
ocean are called salt water fish. These fish are sold at fresh
fish markets or put into cans or sold as frozen fish products.
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ACTIVITY 2 : Ways people get their food

Answer the following questions:
1. Where do the following people get their food from?
1.1 People who live in towns and cities.
1.2 People who live on a farm.
1.3 San people who live in the Kalahari Desert.
2. How do you get your food? In your workbook, list the ways your family gets
the food they need.
Unit 2: Ways of farming

NEW WORDS:
Commercial farms: Large farms that produce food to sell
Subsistence farmers: People who grow food and keep animals to feed their family.

1. Farming for self and family – Subsistence Farming

Some people grow food and keep animals to feed themselves and their families.
We call these farmers subsistence farmers.

Subsistence farm
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ACTIVITY 3 : Read a picture

1. Look at the drawing of a subsistence farm (page 4 above)

(a) List all the food that people can get from animals on this farm.
(b) List all the food that people can get from the plants on this farm.

2. Who do you think works on this farm?

3. Name three tools you see in the picture. What are these tools used for?
4. Does this family get all its food from this farm? What other food do you think they
need?
5. If this family needs more food, where do you think they will get the money?

2. Farming crops and animals to sell – Commercial Farming

Some farms grow food to sell. These kinds of farms are called commercial farms. Commercial
farms are large farms. Commercial farmers only do one or two things. For example, they might
grow one crop (such as beans or wheat) or raise one kind of animal. Commercial farmers sell the
food they produce on their farms. They use the money to buy the things they need to live.

Commercial farm

ACTIVITY 4 : Interpret a picture

1. Look at the picture of the commercial farm. What food grows on this farm?
2. Describe the buildings on this farm.
3. What machines are in this picture? What are these machines used for?
4. Do you think the people who drive the machines are the owners of this farm?
Give reasons for your answer.
5. Explain the difference between a commercial farm and a subsistence farm.
Describe the food, buildings and work.
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2. Growing food in towns and cities

NEW WORDS:

Food garden: A small patch of ground where people grow different vegetables.

Some people grow food and keep animals in towns and cities. If people grow food
in urban areas, they can help feed themselves. This means they will save money.
Making your own food garden
The drawings on the right show
you how to make a food garden
at your school or home. A food
garden is a small piece of
ground where you can grow
food to eat.
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ACTIVITY 5 : Write instructions to make a food garden.

1. Look at the drawings numbered 1 – 4.
2. Write your own list of instructions that explain how to make a food garden.
You will find all this information in the drawings and speech bubbles. Start your
instructions like this:
(a) Mark an area 2 metres long and 1 metre wide.
(b) Dig a hole about half a metre deep.
3. Write a list of vegetables that you will plant in your own food garden.
4. Draw a picture of your own food garden.
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Unit 3: Crop farming:

Important crops of South Africa

NEW WORDS:
Citrus fruit: Fruit with thick skins such as oranges and grapefruit.
Crop: Plants that farmers grow for their own use or for sale.
Deciduous fruit: Fruit that grows on plants that lose their leaves in winter such as apples
and pears.
Subtropical fruit: Fruit that grows in warm and wet areas such as bananas and pawpaw

1. Crop farming
The map on the
right shows the
main areas
where there are
crop farms in
South Africa. It
also shows
important crops
that grow in
South Africa.

ACTIVITY 6

Interpret a farming map

1. Look at the map key.
(a) Draw the symbol for farms that grow sugar cane.
(b) Name the provinces where there are sugar cane farms.
2. (a) Draw the symbol for grapes.
(b) Name the province where there are grape farms.
3. (a) Find the province where you live on the map.
(b) Look at the map key. Name the main crops that grow in your province.
4. Name three crops on the map that farmers also grow on subsistence farms.
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2. Fruit Farming areas

Many kinds of fruits grow
in South Africa. Some
fruits grow well in warm
and wet areas. These are
called sub-tropical fruits.

Other fruits grow well in

areas that have winter
rain.

Some fruits grow on

trees that lose their
leaves in winter. These
are called deciduous
fruits.

ACTIVITY 7

List under headings

1. What fruit grows in your province?
2. Name the provinces where sub-tropical fruit grows. Give an example of a
sub-tropical fruit.
3. Copy this table. Write examples of the different kinds of fruit under the
correct heading.

Citrus fruit Deciduous fruit Sub-tropical fruit

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3. Case study of a fruit farm (Case Study 1)

NEW WORDS:

Case study: Examining one example in detail.

Export: Goods that are sent out of a country for sale.
Flow diagram: A drawing that shows things in the correct order.

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ACTIVITY 8
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ACTIVITY 9

Read the case study about a grape and

wine farm below and then answer the
questions.

(Case Study 2)

1. Is this a commercial or subsistence farm?

2. Give a reason for your answer in question 1.
3. Identify the crop grown on this farm.
4. List six expenses that Mr. du Toit has.
5. How does Mr. du Toit make money out of this farm.
6. How many people work there all year round.
7. Why does Mr. du Toit need extra workers.
8. Explain the difference between table and wine grapes.
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Unit 4: Animal or stock farms

NEW WORDS:

Hatching: When chicks break out of their eggs.

Poultry: Birds raised on farms, such as chickens, ducks and geese.
Stock: Different animals that farmers raise on farms.

ACTIVITY 10
Fill in a table and draw a picture
1. List the main kinds of animals in your province.
2. Copy this table. In your table group all the animals by size.
Small animals Medium animals Large animals

3. Draw a picture of the two kinds of foods we get from chickens. Label your
pictures.
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ACTIVITY 11
Answer the following questions:
1. Name four products that we can get from an ostrich.
2. Name two products that we can get from a sheep.
3. Name one non-edible product that we get from cattle.
4. Name two edible products that we can get from goats.
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Case study of a chicken farm

ACTIVITY 12
Order information and answer questions on a case study.
1. Look at the diagram. Write the following statements in the correct order.
(a) Birds killed.
(b) Eggs hatch.
(c) Birds grow fat.
(d) Chicks go to growing farms when they are two days old.
2. How long does a chicken live on this farm?
3. Is this farm a commercial or a subsistence farm?
4. Give a reason for your answer.
5. How do you think people raise chickens on a subsistence farm?
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Unit 5: From the farm to your home

From wheat to bread – the story of a sandwich

The pictures below show the story of a sandwich. It shows how wheat is grown
on a farm, processed, and then made into the bread we eat.
FROM THE SHOP TO THE PEOPLE

ACTIVITY 13 : The story of a sandwich

Write down all the steps of the story of a sandwich - from the stage where wheat
is grown on a farm to the stage where it is made into the bread that we eat.
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ACTIVITY 14 : Answer questions about a wheat farm

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