Peep! Peep!

And, so the peeping begins! Today was a very "eggs-iting" day in Room 17! Our chicks began to hatch. Now as most of you know, chick hatching has not been something I have experienced much success with. I am fairly certain that the 4 chicks that hatched last year did not last very long once they were among bigger and stronger chicks. By the way...4 chicks was my 3 year total...how very sad!


This morning at 7:30AM we had one egg with a tiny hole and by 3PM, we had 4 chicks!!! My little Kinder-Hoppers wanted to stand at that incubator every second they could! Our first little Peep was sweetly named "Nugget," because that is what his babysitter calls him. Amazing how Chelsea Handler can suddenly appear in a Kindergarten Classroom. We have 4 chicks and 4 eggs with tiny holes in them. I can only hope that this fertility miracle is a sign for me :-)


I don't have any goodies for you today, just some pictures to share! As always, thank you for reading!!!
Shannon

This is a picture of our Chick Development Calendar. They counted DAILY!

Here is our Chick Hatch Prediction Chart. As you can see, my hopes were not too high.

This is the giant chick I have next to our incubator once the chicks start to hatch. I bought him last year for 75% off at Pier 1.

 We made these cute little chicks this afternoon. Even though students get all the same size pieces and directions, they all come out looking so different. I LOVE them! I got the idea off of a website last year but have no clue which site. If it's your idea, I will be more than happy to link it up.

Here they are! Not quite dry enough for the brooder yet!

Farm Thinking

Happy Saturday!


Just a little something to hold y'all over until a full unit post (what do you have to look forward to...My Ocean Unit and My Zoo Unit). Here are two Farm Thinking Maps.


Enjoy!
Shannon


All documents contain fonts that are copyright DJ Inkers. Virtually all documents contain graphics that are copyright DJ Inkers. They are used with permission. Please visit http://www.djinkers.com/, for wonderful clipart and fonts.


Chick Bubble Map


Farm Circle Map

Hatching Chicks

Hello all!

I will be the first to admit, hatching chicks isn't on the top of my strengths list; however, I have had quite a few questions and comments about how others can hatching chicks in their own classrooms. Here is some information for everyone :)

*We go through the University of Illinois Extension for our eggs, feed, and new teacher training for our unit. They also coordinate when and where we drop our little friends off at. If you aren't having the best of luck calling the local 4-H, I would check with the state universities. I know many universities have the unit as part of their agricultural extension.

*It is about 21 days for the eggs to hatch. What makes this difficult is that we must pick up the eggs when the Extension Center tells us to. This year our pick up date is tomorrow, March 14. We have our Spring Break the last week of March...the problem- the final week before they start to hatch you need to take the eggs out of the turner and closely monitor the humidity level. Luckily, we have 2 teachers that are willing to go in and do this over break. Every year they seem to change the pick up and drop off dates, so make sure you have all the information!

Resources...
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/eggs/
http://lancaster.unl.edu/4h/embryology/

Good Luck!
Shannon

Let's all do the Chicken Jive!

I am laying here...day 4 of being sick. I've got bronchitis and a sinus infection, ugh! I can't seem to sleep today, primarily because I can't breathe, but whatevs. 


Without a doubt one of the most exciting and stressful times in my classroom has to be our Chick unit. My first year of doing chicks was to say the least not successful. I really wasn't into it and it turned out that my incubator had a flaw...a crack in the bottom. The last several years, I have been determined to build this unit and get excited for it. I love doing the unit, but as it turns out, I am not a good hen. :-) Last year was my most successful hatch, I believe I had four or five. My chicks were cute, but they were not quite "right".  While most chicks huddle together, mine scattered apart in the brooder. Two of them had something wrong with their bottoms. I loved those chicks, but I knew that once they got to the farm....things would not go well for them. 

The time is here once again. I am no quitter....eventually, I will have a good hatch!! I will let you all know how it goes :-). Here is part of my Farm unit. Thanks for reading! 


Enjoy!
Shannon


All documents contain fonts that are copyright DJ Inkers. Virtually all documents contain graphics that are copyright DJ Inkers. They are used with permission. Please visit http://www.djinkers.com/, for wonderful clipart and fonts.


Books we read...
    


I also have the cutest little book that I got from a retiring teacher my first year. I believe it is called 7 Eggs. It ends with each student getting a chocolate egg...their reactions when they make the connection is priceless!


There are actually a ton of books we read because it is really more of an Oviparous Animals unit.


Various Activities
This is a sort for the flannel board. We will complete this as a whole group.
Oviparous and Viviparous Sort


Here is the student edition of the sort. I have students take an 11x18 piece of construction paper and fold it in half. Then students draw a black line down the center. They color, cut, sort, and glue.
Oviparous and Viviparous Sort Student Copy


A silly little easy reader. I know they are corny but my kids love 'em :-)The Little Chicks Book

Egg Rhymes is a simple matching game. There is also a worksheet for students to complete when they have completed the center.
Egg Rhymes

My little "hoppers" love the idea of alien words and this activity really gives them the practice they need with NWF.Earth Words vs Alien Words Chick Sort

Students use these cards for simple matching, ABC order, concentration, or Go Fish. I let them choose how to use them best.Chick Upper to Lower Case Matching Cards

A syllable sort. 1-4 syllable words.
Chicken and Eggs Syllable Sort

I always try to include counters for the kiddos that need them. There are 3 levels. The highest level corresponds with the final counter sheet. For extra help for the struggling students I give them two half sheets of construction paper (like blue and yellow). They put the first number of counters on the blue and the second number of counters on the yellow, and then they add them up. I have found that it really helps them out!Adding Eggs Color Code

I love using Dr. Jean's Country Countdown to practice counting backwards. Here is a worksheet that also helps students with the concept.Chick Countdown Worksheet

We use these number chickens when we dance to Jack Hartmann's Chicken Count. It is one of the funniest things you can watch your kids do...strut like chickens!
Number Chickens


This is a little game we play using plasic eggs. I number six eggs and put one item in each (a bell, a penny or two, a cotton ball, a marble, and a chocolate egg), but you could use whatever you want. Students shake the egg and discuss with their table mates. Then they write their predictions, then we open them.
What's in the egg



That's all for now. I will try to post some pictures as I go through the unit.