“Peep peep peep” could be heard throughout the second grade hallway for about a week in June after baby chicks arrived in several classrooms at Northwest Elementary School in the Amityville Union Free School District. It was part of an annual hands-on science lesson about animal life cycles.
The eggs and incubators were supplied by Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Suffolk County Farm. During the 21-day incubation period, students made predictions about how many eggs would hatch and also candled the eggs by holding up a special light to see the development taking place in side.
After the chicks were born — some during the school day to the delight of students — they were moved to large plastic bins lined with bedding. Children took care of the young animals by ensuring that there was always a supply of food and water. They even learned how to delicately hold the chicks, and also gave them names.
Second grade teacher Annette Fox said that literacy activities were included in the project as students practiced their sequence structure in writing about the life cycles and used descriptive language from their observations.
Photo courtesy of the Amityville Union Free School District
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