Which Came First? The Chicken or the Egg.....

 

Which Came First? The Chicken or the Egg......

Objective: Students will observe the development of an animal by documenting their observations and questions during the duration of their study using their Animal Observation Journal.

Standards: K-LS1-1. Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive.

Resource: Animal Observation Journal - This handout can be used if your students are hatching chicks or even if you are just observing chicks already hatched. (You will need to print several copies or use Kami if wanting to keep the journal digital.)

Vocabulary: Eggshell, Embryo, Incubator, Incubation, Development, Hatching, Candling, Hen, Rooster

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Incubation Cycle: 
Follow the instructions of the incubator.

Materials: Fertilized Eggs, Incubator, Candler, 

• You can purchase fertilized eggs from a local hatchery or even Amazon,
• Meyer Hatchery - https://meyerhatchery.com
• Crackle Hatchery - https://www.cacklehatchery.com
• Strombergs - https://www.strombergschickens.com
• If you do not have an incubator there are virtual Egg Farm field trips. 

On the 4th day of the incubation cycle, eggs can be candled. If you do not have a candler, do not worry you can create one from a LED flashlight. The Chicken Chick blog had pretty easy instructions to follow and included pictures of the embryo development.

Instructions:

1. Have students observe the development of their chick embryo by candling the egg. (If not hatching the chick then the observation of the live chick, measuring its height, weight, etc,,.)
2. During their observation time have students fill out their Animal Observation Journal documenting what they see and the questions they have.
3. To help guide the discussion and the development of the embryo found this Development Wheel helpful. 

Questions:

• What is an embryo?
• What makes the embryo alive?
• What do you think the eggshell's role is in the development of the chick?
• Do you think the egg could hatch on its own?
• What do you think the role of the incubator is in the development of the chick?