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National Agriculture in the Classroom

Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Matrix

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Lesson Plans (9)

Eggology (Grades 3-5)

Students identify how the basic needs of a growing chick are met during egg incubation, diagram the parts of an egg, and hatch eggs in class. Grades 3-5

Eggology (Grades K-2)

Students identify how the basic needs of a growing chick are met during egg incubation, diagram the parts of an egg, and hatch eggs in class. Grades K-2

Eggs: From Hen to Home (Grades K-2)

Students trace the production path of eggs, beginning on the farm and ending in their home and identify the culinary uses and nutritional benefits of eggs. Grades K-2

From Chicken Little to Chicken Big (Grades 3-5)

Students identify different breeds of chickens, examine physical characteristics, and determine the stages of a chicken's life cycle. Grades 3-5

From Chicken Little to Chicken Big (Grades K-2)

Students identify different breeds of chickens, examine physical characteristics, and determine the stages of a chicken's life cycle. Grades K-2

Hatching Science with Classroom Chicks (Grades 3-5)

Students explore how an embryo develops inside of a chicken egg over time, discuss life cycles and other natural cycles, and observe similarities and differences between parents and offspring. Grades 3-5

Hatching Science with Classroom Chicks (Grades K-2)

Students explore how an embryo develops inside of a chicken egg over time, discuss life cycles and other natural cycles, and observe similarities and differences between parents and offspring. Grades K-2

Inside the Egg, Hatching Chicks (Grades 3-5)

Students investigate embryo development in chicken eggs. Grades 3-5

Inside the Egg, Hatching Chicks (Grades K-2)

Students investigate embryo development in chicken eggs. Grades K-2

Companion Resources (26)

Activity
The Life Cycle of a Chicken
Create a colorful, egg-shaped chicken life cycle using the templates and egg tempera paint recipe provided in this activity.
Book
A Chicken Followed Me Home!
What's that? A chicken followed you home? Now what do you do? Author-illustrator Robin Page leads a step-by-step, question-and-answer-style journey through the world of chickens. Along the way you'll explore different breeds, discover different types of coops, and learn everything there is to know about chicken reproduction and hatching.
Chick Life Cycle
Learn all about a chick's life cycle in this book for young students. Simple text and clear pictures make it fun to learn about different chicken breeds, the parts of a chicken, how the chick embryo develops, and how a baby chick grows into a mature hen that can lay its own eggs.
Chickenology
Chickenology takes young readers on a fascinating and informative tour of chickens. With a playful tone and irresistibly charming illustrations, this lively visual encyclopedia presents chickens in all of their feathered glory. Discover the incredible variety of chickens with different origins, breeds, and feather patterns. Learn incredible facts: did you know that chickens can learn to count up to four and have excellent hearing? Many even like to listen to music!
Chickens on the Farm
This book for grades K-3 explores the importance of chickens in agriculture. Colorful photographs illustrate how farmers care for chickens, and fun facts are included throughout. Students will learn that there are more than 16 billion chickens on Earth, that poultry is another name for farm birds that people raise for meat and eggs, and much more.  
Chicks & Chickens
Chicks & Chickens illustrates and teaches about the production of eggs. You will learn how eggs are produced for human consumption and how fertilized eggs develop into embryos and grow to be fuzzy baby chicks. Readers will also learn about various chicken breeds, behaviors and terms.
Daisy Comes Home
This is the story of six hens in China. Cared for by the young Mei Mei, the hens lay eggs for selling at the market. But one hen, Daisy, is not so happy. Picked at and plucked by the others, she is ousted from the clan and ends up taking a serendipitous adventure. When Mei Mei finally brings her back home, Daisy uses her newly learned skills to stave off the mean hens and gain a rightful spot on the perch. This engaging tale can be used to introduce any lesson involving chickens.  
From Egg to Chicken
This title explains how an egg grows into a chicken in a clear and organized manner, beginning with a hen laying eggs, then following the hatching of the eggs and care of the chicks, and ending with a graphic summary of the life cycle of a chicken.  
Hatching Chicks in Room 6
Discover chicks and watch them hatch in room 6! This book highlights the life cycle of chickens, parts of an egg, incubation, and caring for freshly hatched chicks. 
Inside An Egg
Follow the text and the photographs in this book to learn about the development of a baby chick from the time the egg is laid until the chick hatches.
One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference
Inspired by true events, One Hen tells the story of Kojo, a boy from Ghana who turns a small loan into a thriving farm and a livelihood for many. After his father died, Kojo had to quit school to help his mother collect firewood to sell at the market. When his mother receives a loan from some village families, she gives a little money to her son. With this tiny loan, Kojo buys a hen. A year later, Kojo has built up a flock of 25 hens. With his earnings, Kojo is able to return to school, and soon Kojo's farm grows to become the largest in the region. The final pages of One Hen explain the microloan system and include a list of relevant organizations for children to explore. This book is part of CitizenKid, a collection of books that inform children about the world and inspire them to be better global citizens.
Poppy's Chicks (Farm Friends)
Poppy can't wait for her hen, Dottie, to have chicks. But when Poppy checks the chicken coop, she realizes Dottie's eggs aren't going to hatch. Poor Dottie! Poppy is determined to help. She and her mom visit the feed store, and Poppy comes up with a new plan—she'll hatch her own eggs. But will Poppy's eggs hatch for Dottie?
Sonya's Chickens
Sonya raises her three chickens from the time they are tiny chicks. She feeds them, shelters them, and loves them. Everywhere Sonya goes, her chicks are peeping at her heels. Under her care, the chicks grow into hens and even give Sonya a wonderful gift: an egg! One night, Sonya hears noises coming from the chicken coop and discovers that one of her hens has disappeared. Where did the hen go? What happened to her? When Sonya discovers the answers, she learns some important truths about the interconnectedness of nature and the true joys and sorrows of caring for another creature.
The Chicken-Chasing Queen of Lamar County
Meet one smart chicken chaser. She can catch any chicken on her grandmother's farm except one - the elusive Miss Hen. In a hilarious battle of wits, the spirited narrator regales readers with her campaign to catch Miss Hen, but this chicken is "fast as a mosquito buzzing and quick as a fleabite." Our chicken chaser has her mind set on winning, until she discovers that sometimes it's just as satisfying not to catch chickens as it is to catch them.
Booklet/Reader
Poultry Reader
This printable four-page reader is packed with information about chickens, turkeys, and other poultry. Use this reader to share information about the parts of an egg, poultry-related careers, the diets of chickens, and more.
Kit
Chicken Genetics Matching Cards
Each breed of chicken has specific genes which indicate what it will look like, how many eggs it will produce, how large its body will be, etc. Use the Chicken Genetics Matching Cards to discover the basic genetic characteristics found in various breeds of chickens. This kit includes 8 matching cards, 8 description cards, and an answer key. Order this kit online from agclassroomstore.com.
Countdown to Hatch
Build suspense and get a sneak peek at embryo development inside a fertile egg with this colorful embryology kit. The kit contains 21 plastic eggs. Inside of each egg is a laminated picture and detailed developmental description of the chick growing inside. One egg should be opened on each day of the 21-day chick hatching cycle to give students an exciting look at the mysterious process that happens inside the egg. This kit can be used on its own but also makes a great complement to a classroom hatching project. Order this kit online from agclassroomstore.com.
Farm Animals in a Box
This kit is designed to support various forms of homeschool, virtual learning, and online classes by providing ready-to-use supplies to facilitate hands-on learning and discovery. The kit contains materials for one student to complete a variety of activities found in the following resources: Animal or Plant?Animal Life Cycles (Activity 2); About Farm Animals Mini Kit; Hatching Science with Classroom Chicks (Activity 3); Baa, Ram, Ewe...Sheep Tales (Activity 3). Order this kit online from agclassroomstore.com.
Parent/Offspring Cards
This kit contains full-color pictures of chicken breeds that can be used to highlight similarities and differences between parents and offspring and to discuss inherited traits. A great complement to any unit on heredity. Order this kit online from agclassroomstore.com.
Movie/Video
All About Eggs
Experience the miracle of baby chicks hatching and follow their development into mature hens. This 17-minute video also shows how eggs are processed after leaving the farm, including inspection, washing, drying, and packaging. Order this DVD online from agclassroomstore.com.
Chick Embryology YouTube Playlist
This playlist from Utah Agriculture in the Classroom was developed as a resource for teachers using chick development as a way to explore life science concepts. Videos explore the development of the chick inside of the egg, agricultural production, and the hatching process.
Chicken Embryo Development
In just two minutes this video gives a stunning animation of the 21-day development of a chicken embryo in the egg.
Hatching Science: 21 Days of Discovery Video
The perfect accompaniment to a classroom hatching project, this video helps students envision what is going on inside a fertilized, developing egg even though the egg doesn't appear to change from the outside. Detailed images of a chick's development along with a summary of milestones that the chick has achieved on or around each day provide an in-depth look at the 21-day hatching cycle.
Teacher Reference
Classroom Hatching
Classroom Hatching is an egg incubation program for youth in Kindergarten through third grade. This program aims to explore the life cycle of poultry and learn about the needs of living things by incubating and hatching chicken eggs. The activities included in the program will help youth understand where food comes from, develop healthy choices, and promote the responsibility of caring for living things. Order a print book or download a free PDF.
Hatching Classroom Projects
This 49-page 4-H guide to embryology provides background information and experiential life science activities for use in the elementary classroom. Students learn the parts of an egg, classification of chickens by breed, how to use an incubator, candle an egg, build a brooder, and more. Each activity is correlated to national science standards and follows the five steps in the experiential learning model: experience, share, process, generalize, and apply.