chickens

These third graders won't forget the magic of seeing the miracle of life up close and personal!  In April we received 7 chicken eggs to carefully incubate for the next three weeks.  We monitored the temperature, humidity, and rotation of the eggs while we watched for signs of life.  Using an Ovascope, we looked through the shell and saw the development of each chick.  Initially we just saw a small circle, but eventually a large network of blood vessels spread out within the shell.  We could see the flickering heart and every few days new body parts became visible.  On the 21st day of incubation, our chicks began hatching.  24 hours after hatching, the fresh chicks were removed from the incubator and allowed to roam in their warmed enclosure.  We enjoyed hearing their sweet chirps and watching their funny behaviors.  Throughout this project the third graders learned new vocabulary and participated in a uniquely authentic, hands-on life science lesson!