Classroom Guide for
Cycle of Rice, Cycle of Life:
A Story of Sustainable Farming

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1. Do you like to eat rice? What is your favorite rice dish? Where in the world do you think rice is grown?
2. Have you ever been to a farm? What animals and/or crops did you see there? What did you learn about how crops were planted and grown?
3. Have you ever planted anything? What steps did you follow in planting and caring for your plant?
4. What do plants need in order to grow?
5. How do you think farmers get water for their plants in areas where there is not a lot of water nearby?

• find out about Balinese farming
• learn about the cycle of rice and how it affects the cycle of life
• understand the difference between traditional organic farming methods and farming methods that utilize modern technologies

1. Where is Bali located? What bodies of water surround Bali?
2. Where does the freshwater that Balinese farmers need to grow rice come from? How does it get to the farmers’ land?
3. What are the purposes of the rituals performed at the water temples? Why are these rituals important?
4. What kind of business takes place at the Masceti temples during the celebrations and gatherings before the planting season?
5. How is rice planted? Describe the steps.
6. Once the fields are planted and flooded, what are the responsibilities of Putu and Kadek?
7. When is rice ready to be harvested? How is it harvested?
8. What are the three steps for getting the rice kernels off the stalks and ready to be put into bags?
9. What happens in the rice fields after the harvest? What role do ducks play during this time?
10. What is the “cycle of rice” the author describes?
11. What was the Green Revolution in Bali?
12. What happened as a result of the Green Revolution?
13. How did J. Stephen Lansing help the Balinese farmers?
14. What are some lasting effects—both good and bad—of the Green Revolution?

• The Questioner might use questions similar to the ones in the Discussion Question section of this guide.
• The Passage Locator might look for phrases or terms about farming that were unfamiliar to the group so that the phrases and terms may be discussed to enhance understanding.
• The Illustrator might create a diagram or chart that illustrates the important stages in the cycle of rice farming in Bali.
• The Connector might find information about other traditional farming methods that are still used today.
• The Summarizer might provide a brief summary of each section of the book that the group reads.
• The Investigator might find more information about sustainable farming around the world.

1. What did you like about this book? Why?
2. How are Putu and Kadek different from you? How are they similar? What parts of their life would you enjoy? Why? What parts would you dislike? Why?
3. What are your thoughts about traditional farming versus more technological farming? Do you think both methods can be sustainable? How?
4. Are there any steps you or your family takes to be more environmentally friendly? Does this book make you want to be more conscious of the environment’s needs? Why or why not?

1. Choose a person in the book to interview. Create a list of questions to ask the person about his or her life and work.
2. Pretend you are a journalist and write a short breaking news story about the Green Revolution. Include quotes from people in the community featured in the book. You may invent these “quotes” by inferring people’s thoughts and feelings based on information you read.
3. After doing some research about J. Stephen Lansing, write a short biography on him.

1. Before reading, work with students on the vocabulary in the book, including farming terms and terms describing Balinese culture and religion.
2. Have students write a caption for each photograph in the book. This can be done individually, with partners, or in small groups. Encourage students to read their captions to one another.
3. Read aloud a sentence from the book and have students read it aloud after you, pointing to each word as they speak. Make a recording of the trickier passages for students to listen to. Have them follow along in the book as they listen.
4. Assign ELL students to read the book aloud with strong English speakers/readers.

1. The Balinese have very few first names. The first child is Wayan or Putu, the second child is Made or Kadek, the third is Nyoman or Komang, and the fourth is Ketut. The fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth children will be another Wayan or Putu, Made or Kadek, Nyoman or Komang, and Ketut. Let students figure out their names in Balinese, create name tags, and use their Balinese names for a day. You may wish to have students also include their surnames to avoid confusion among those with the same Balinese first names.
2. Cycle of Rice, Cycle of Life discusses the geography, climate, and geology of the island of Bali. Introduce students to the other major climate and geologic regions (desert, mountain, tropics, and so on). Have students research the characteristics of the regions and then find countries or areas that have the attributes of each.
3. Have students work in research groups to find out more about world hunger. The student section of the United Nations World Food Programme Web site is a good place to start. The site also includes links to games and activities that help raise students’ awareness of food and hunger around the world.

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