3rd graders hatch chicks in classroom

Students were able to see new chicks hatch in class as they completed their lesson on the life cycle.
By Ian Dinkins, Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications

Over the last month, third grade students at University School of Nashville learned firsthand about the life cycle by having eggs in incubators in classrooms and witnessing the hatching process. 

The project turned out to be a wonderful hands-on life science unit and created the perfect stage to teach concepts across the curriculum because the students were so engaged, according to Third Grade Teacher Barabra Voehler.

In previous years, Lower Schoolers have learned about the life cycle of frogs, trout, and other animals. Still, as Third Grade Teacher Barbara Voehler mentioned, they were particularly excited to see the hatching process in class and track progress from the night before using a camera set up to monitor the incubator.

“They were eager to learn and research. They loved to come into the classroom every day and see if anything had changed and to learn what was happening inside the egg every day,” she said.

During each day of the project, students created detailed diaries of what happened inside the egg. Once the eggs hatched, they presented all of the different ways they learned about the life cycle in front of the class.

Stella Luecke ‘33 and Layden Horton ‘33 had some experience seeing chicks on family farms but loved the hands-on nature of the project. 

“My favorite part of the project was holding the baby chicks and seeing them hatch in our class,” Layden said.

A highlight of the project for Stella was learning so much about her second favorite animal (her favorite is a cat) and one that she had seen around a family farm.

“Learning about the difference between fertilized and unfertilized eggs and that chicks like to cuddle was one of my favorite parts of the whole thing,” she said.

While the eggs were readying to hatch, third graders studied other parts of the life cycle through frog dissection. 

“Each part of the project teaches responsibility and the fragility and resiliency of life,” said Voehler. “With the frog dissection, we got to study and learn about the anatomy of a frog and how it compares to a chicken.”

On Tuesday, April 16, the moment that everyone had been waiting for finally arrived. The chicks began to hatch, and students saw the wonder of the life cycle with their own eyes.

Now, third graders are studying what food and habitat the small birds need to grow and successfully continue their life cycle. The best part of the project is that some families will take the chicks home and care for them in the backyard, so students will continue to see the life cycle up close every day.
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