Bridgewater Chocolate Grant: Hatching Science in Kindergarten
- School Year: 2016-2017
- Applicants: Emily Thurston, Lead TeacherJennifer Otano-Vera, Jennifer Clinton, Karen Abels
- School: Wolcott
- Subjects: Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, Technology
There is something truly amazing about the innate curiosity and excitement for learning in every young child. This project allows us to hatch the passion and knowledge and help put students on a path that encourages pursuing science as a future career. In Kindergarten, scholars begin to learn about the natural world. They learn the different types of weather and what cause them. They learn about their five senses and how to use them to explore their world. They learn to develop their curiosity, make predictions and collect data. At Wolcott Elementary school, Kindergarten scholars will be able to access experiential learning through hatching chicks in their classrooms. During this project, each Kindergarten classroom will receive and incubate fertilized eggs. Students will use their senses to investigate the eggs and, through group research, learn essentials for incubating and raising chicks. Through a series of lessons, students will learn about different types of eggs and chicks, learn how to care for chicks, both during and after the incubation stage, predict and monitor the growth of the chick, and collect data representing growth and progress throughout the process. Following the hatching of the chicks, students will learn about the different careers connected with raising poultry, aligning with the Kindergarten social studies curriculum, focusing on community helpers. Students will be experiencing the growth and life cycle of a chicken in hands on setting. Through this memorable experience, they will be connecting reading, math, science and life skills and building the beginnings of a lifelong love for science, questioning and learning.