Growing Heart with Little Chicks

Published: 2022
By Brenda Richey

Four hundred pre-K through fourth-grade students across the Flathead Reservation were introduced to agriculture through an egg incubation project. Fertilized eggs were purchased from one FFA student’s multi-breed flock. These eggs were diverse in size and color, creating a lot of student speculation about what kind of chickens would hatch. In-school enrichment included hands-on activities, stories, and hundreds of ever-watchful chicken farmers. One school placed a 24/7 live feed camera over the incubators so students and their families could check on the eggs from home. As hatching day arrived, students quickly picked up on the differences between the chicks. Not only had the eggs been diverse…but all the chicks looked different too. This agriculture project quickly evolved into, teacher-guided, student-driven conversation around celebrating diversity and inclusion. In a day and age where children have fears about “being different,” this Ag in the Classroom project allowed young children to explore their feelings and support each other…normalizing differences, recognizing that boys, girls, and chicks need the same things…food, water, warmth, and loving care. After the project, two FFA teens came to the schools and brought adult hens for the students to see and touch. After singing a rousing rendition of “Old MacDonald,” elementary students learned the names of the parts of the chicken, how to tell if they were male or female, and even how to tell what color eggs the female chicks would eventually lay. This MSU Extension program continues to demonstrate the importance of Ag in the Classroom…it introduces endless possibilities for agriculture learning, and it encourages young students to grow bigger hearts through social/emotional awareness for all living things.