AN EGG-CELLENT PROGRAM
     Featuring Where Do Chicks Come From? with Eggs-periments
     Grades 1 - 3, works for a small or large group
     45 minutes

A popular book in the well-respected Lets-Read-and-Find-Out Science series, Where Do Chicks Come From? explains what happens inside an egg from fertilization through hatching, a core part of most elementary science curricula. 

In the first part of my program, I discuss why and how I wrote the book. Using a series of 
PowerPoint slides, I introduce concepts such as research and revision. I also display an original, framed illustration from the book. 

In the second part of my program, I lead students and (sometimes) teachers in conducting several hands-on eggs-periments to explore the properties of eggs, including identifying the inside parts, learning about its unique shape, testing the strength of the shell, and more. Scientific method terms, such as hypothesis, experiment, and observation are introduced.

I conclude the program with a "Surprising Facts about Chickens" slide show quiz in an interactive true/false format.  

NOTE: For virtual visits and for smaller groups (fewer than about 45 students), I perform the eggs-periments myself, involving as many student volunteers as possible. With larger groups, I coach multiple teachers to perform the experiments with their individual classes gathered around them.

Students will complete this interactive workshop with a greater understanding of the life cycle of a chicken, as well as exposure to the scientific method and the writing / book publishing process.

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Photo credit for Photo 3: Rebecca Morrison; for photos 2, 4, 5, 6, 7: Julie Simonson