Embryology in the Classroom

Excitement will be high at elementary schools across the county on Monday, March 8th as students will begin to hear the hatching of the baby chicks they raised from day one of incubation. This will be the end result of a three-week long project that is a cooperative effort between Richmond County 4-H and Richmond County Schools. “Embryology in the Classroom” is one of the 4-H school enrichment projects completed each year.

The goal of 4-H school enrichment is to provide quality hands-on learning experiences for students that align with the curriculum for their grade level. This year, teachers were trained virtually on the equipment and skills needed to carry out the project with their students.

After the teacher training, the incubators, eggs, and other necessary equipment were delivered to each of the twenty-nine second grade classrooms in the county. With help from our sponsors, United Way of Richmond County and Richmond County Farm Bureau, each 2nd grade classroom has experienced science first hand.

The main focus of the project is for students to learn about life cycles and agriculture. One activity included in the project is candling the eggs to get an idea of what is going on inside the egg. Students are able to see blood vessels, the heart, eyes, and air cell as well as determine which eggs were not fertilized. Students also learn about the different parts of the egg, complete activities about egg strength, and learn about how hens lay eggs.

To keep contact at a minimum, 4-H is offering teachers and students a daily virtual experience through video and other virtual means. This is the first year that anything virtual has had to happen and it has added some really neat components to the project.

Each day of the 21-day incubation, students both in the classroom and remote learning have the ability to watch a short educational video. Adding this component was necessary this year but has ended up being a great addition to the program and will likely be extended upon in years to come. This project is a lot of fun and offers a valuable learning experience for the students.

The students also developed life skills related to scientific processes, teamwork, recordkeeping, and planning. Embryology looks a little different this year due to COVID restrictions but this project has given our 2nd graders something to look forward to each day and will likely never be forgotten.

After hatching at the schools, several 4-H families will take on the responsibility of raising the birds as their 4-H poultry project. 4-H youth that participate are responsible for every part of raising the chicks such as housing, feeding and watering, as well as any medical expenses.

Throughout the process, 4-H’ers learn how to care for chickens, parts of the chicken, specific qualities the breed possesses, and how to properly handle the bird at the show. During the show, the judge will ask the 4-H showman several questions about his or her chicken in the showmanship class.

This is where youth have the opportunity to share their knowledge and showcase their cleanest, healthiest bird. Showmen will also participate in a breed class where the chicken that best represents the breed standard will be crowned champion. This year’s 4-H Poultry Show will be held at our local Tractor Supply Co. on June 12 at 9:00 a.m.

To be eligible to compete, youth complete a Project Record Book that captures the things they have learned and turn it in to be judged prior to the show. For more information about the programs that Richmond County 4-H offers, contact Catherine Shelley or North Carolina Cooperative Extension at 910-997-8255 or email at Catherine_shelley@ncsu.edu.