Don't underestimate the power of a chicken to invoke wonder and problem-solving. The past couple of weeks we've turned our focused attention to our small flock of chickens, with upper elementary and middle schoolers pondering the paternity of our chicks.
What's to wonder, you ask? Rooster meets hen, and, well...chicks. But what if the broody hen and the only rooster around for the last 4 months (before the chicks hatched) are white Silkies with 5 toes and all the chicks are dark gray with an assortment of 4, 5, and 4.5 (fused) toes? In DGS style, we set about solving that puzzle with a deep dive into chicken anatomy and reproduction, hands-on careful observation, and a splash of basic genetics (DNA, chromosomes, dominant & recessive alleles).
I'll leave it to your children to fill you in on the secret lives of the chickens and the mystery of the gray chicks. 😉
Lower El and Kindergarteners spent quality time in observation (of signs of late autumn as well as chickens) and putting names to all those chicken parts using our new 3 part cards. Spoiler: nugget is not one of those parts!
And just as on any farm, there is always work to be done. I'm pleased to report your older children are crushing it. 💪
Have a wonderful weekend!
Paula
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