Chicks Going Cheep

(April 2013)

Spring was bursting out all over in Foundation as the children learned and played alongside the sound of chirping chicks.

For 10 days both classes played host to incubating eggs, hatching under the very eyes of the fascinated children (as well as most of the adults in the school who seemed to find reasons to visit!) The children watched and drew the new arrivals and read about the processes taking place inside the eggs. Some wrote down their thoughts and descriptions such as, “The chicks are fluffy.” and “I love the chickens and they look cute.” A web cam streaming to a TV in Mrs Clifton’s classroom added to the excitement.

Stories such as The Big Red Hen and Chicken Licken were brought to life for the children, many of whom chose to practise their story telling and language skills with the Chicken Licken puppet theatres.

The eggs were provided by the company Living Eggs who work with schools and nurseries all over the country. Finances for one set of eggs were raised by the Reception children and their families who filled egg boxes with money and the Parents Association kindly donated funds for the second set.

Although the chicks are staying in the Foundation classes, the whole school has been impacted by their ‘cuteness’ and they have received visiting children from every other year group as well as from many Foundation parents – some of whom will be buying and taking a chick home at the end of the project!

As one child said, “It’s better than a bonfire.”