A lucky group at Braelinn Elementary hatched a whole new way to learn when Lisa Chatham’s 1st graders studied the entire egg-to-chick cycle in their classroom.
For their study of the basic needs of plants and animals, they expanded upon traditional lessons like growing grass seeds. Over the last month of school, they studied the whole chick cycle. They learned about all the parts of the egg, what makes a fertilized egg different from the eggs we buy from the store to eat, the phases of growth from embryo to fully developed chick, and much more. Once the chicks hatched, students carefully ensured they had food, shelter, water, and rest.
Chatham saw it as a learning opportunity for both her students and herself.
“As a teacher, one of my greatest takeaways was how each chick hatched when it was ready. No amount of cheeping from the already-hatched chicks or wishful thinking on my part made the process go any faster,” she said. “It solidified the sentiment that students will reach goals and milestones on their own time, but they will get there! I can’t imagine a better way to finish a school year.”
It was eye-opening for the whole school, as they let other classes from throughout the building peek in and see the process in progress.
“Throughout the entire process, the 1st-grade science standard came to life for them – literally!”
