Woodburn Independent Online

Lessons on life

Arthur Academy students learning about the circle of life through classroom project

• By: Lindsay Keefer  
• Published: 3/9/2010 12:55:50 PM

Photo By: Lindsay KeeferLife lessons
Second-grader Geran Berdogin gently puts down a chick as Michaela Wickert-Brown looks on. Abbey Brown’s second-grade class at Arthur Academy witnessed the hatching of the chickens last week to help them learn about life cycles firsthand.

Students at a local school are getting a hands-on experience to help them learn about the cycle of life.
 
Abbey Brown’s second-grade class at Arthur Academy Public Charter School witnessed the hatching of two dozen chickens recently, creating mayhem in the classroom as students named the new animals and took turns carrying them around the room.
 
“It’s been Grand Central Station for days now, with all the coming and going,” Brown said. “It’s pretty exciting.”
 
She said the eggs were donated by Columbia Helicopters. Chris Karsseboom, the parent of one of her students, sells chickens and provided the incubator, food and care. Only one of the hatched chickens needed extra care.
 
“There are some that probably won’t hatch,” said Brown. “You’re not supposed to help them out (of the shell) unless you know what you’re doing.”
 
She said a first-grade class in the school also received eggs from both chickens and quails.
 
“We share recess with the third-graders so they’ve been coming in,” Brown said. “It’s been a school-wide thing.
 
“We’ve all been able to enjoy it at one time or another.”
 
This isn’t the first time animals have found their way into the schools.
 
“Chris has done this for other schools around town in the past,” Brown said. “We’re the only ones doing it right now.”
 
She said Karsseboom will sell the chicks.
 
“He’ll take them after about another week,” she said, adding that some students asked if they would keep or even eat the chickens.
 
Brown said she tries to show a real life example for her students to study the life cycle.
 
“I think it’s important to understand the different life cycles that animals go through,” Brown said. “It’s something they learn in second grade. Also for them to make that connection, rather than just learning it through books, that actual life connection, is pretty exciting.”
 
Last year, the class had tadpoles and salamander larva and later this year will possibly be walking stick insects.
 
“Hopefully we do it every year because this is a lot of fun,” Brown said. “It’s a great opportunity for kids who haven’t that experience to see farm animals and babies being born.”
 
The kids have been very enthusiastic about having temporary class pets.
 
“They’re cute and they make a lot of squeaky sounds,” said 8-year-old Brayden Stimpson. “I named one Mrs. Brown.”
 
Third-grader Wyatt Bradley, 9, added, “I like when you play with them and it’s cool when they hatch.”

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