IRB#: 02-243E

Hook:
We've all heard that education has gone to the birds - and with the help of Marion County Extension, it has, at least, gone to the chickens!! Through the 4-H Chicken Embryology program Marion County students learn about embryonic development, hatching, and chick growth and development right in their own classroom.

Summary:
The 4-H Chicken Embryology program offers fertilized chicken eggs, incubators, curriculum activities and a teacher training workshop to Marion County teachers. 1460 students and 69 teachers participated in the overall program. After participating in the Teacher Training Workshop, 83% of the respondents reported they were able to use information gained in the training to more successfully operate the incubator in the classroom. Student learning about embryonic development, hatching, care of chicks and chick growth and development were reported.

The Issue:
As part of the No Child Left Behind Act, schools are charged with increasing student achievement as measured by higher scores on standards - based assessments. In Marion County, nearly 130,000 students were enrolled in eleven public school corporations for the 2001 - 2002 academic year. 41.5 percent of students in Marion County scored below the state educational standard in math and English/language arts on required Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress (ISTEP) tests. Teachers have identified the need to integrate science based educational enrichment programs into their current curriculum which are hands-on and help students become excited about learning.

What We've Done:
Each spring the 4-H Chicken Embryology program is offered to Marion County teachers. The program includes fertilized chicken eggs, incubators, curriculum activities and a teacher training workshop. The teacher training workshop has been conducted the last two years to increase incubation and hatching success and to increase the educational value of the program. Topics covered during the one-hour long workshop include: the embryonic development of chickens, how incubators work, candling eggs, newborn chick care and curriculum activities for students. Teachers who used incubators owned by Purdue Extension - Marion County were required to attend the workshop. Teachers with their own incubators could attend voluntarily. A total of 26 teachers attended one of the four workshops. Two weeks following the completion of the embryology program in their classroom, the teachers were mailed an evaluation. Eighteen surveys were returned by the teachers.

The Impact:
After participating in the Teacher Training Workshop, 83% of the respondents reported they were able to use information gained in the training to more successfully operate the incubator in the classroom. A section of the workshop taught teachers how to candle eggs. Sixty-one percent of the teachers reported that they did candle eggs in their classroom. The teachers reported that through the candling activity, their students learned "the growth cycle of the chicks", "how to compare a non fertile egg to an egg with a fully developed chick in it", "to take care of the eggs by being gentle", and "about the inside of the egg and to identify the embryo and air sac". Additionally the students learned about growth rates, mortality, observation skills and data collection with the candling activity.
With regard to student learning, teachers reported that their students learned "the parts of an egg", "how chicks get out of eggs", and that "chickens mature more quickly than humans". By caring for the chicks for a few days after hatching, the students learned respect, responsibility, what baby chicks eat and that they drink a lot of water.
Sixty-six percent of the respondents rated the program as Exceptional based on its effectiveness to educate students about embryonic development. One hundred percent indicated they would use the program again and also recommend the program to other teachers.
1460 students and 69 teachers participated in the overall program.

Cooperators:
Anderson Home School
Acton Elementary
Bunker Hill Elementary
Center for Inquiry IPS
Eastbrook Elementary
Eleanor Skillen IPS #34
Francis Bellamy IPS #102
Geist Week Day Ministries
Indian Creek Elementary
Indianapolis Christian School
PS Even Start
James Whitcomb Riley #43
Key Learning Center IPS
Lowell School
Maplewood School
Meridian Hill Pre School
Meridian Street United Methodist Day In
Montessori Centres
North Wayne School
Northminister Presbyterian Pre School
Pleasant View Lower Elementary
Spring Mill Elementary
St. Joan of Arc Catholic School
St. Richard's School Thomas Gregg IPS #15
Trader's Point Christian School
Washington Irving IPS #14
Wyandott School