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Second-Graders Learn About Cycles Of Nature

Love Elementary School student, Angel Rosa, petted an Easter egg chicken that Vic Marcum from Marcum Farms brought into school as a part of presentation during the second graders’ “Cycles of Nature” unit.

“Every year I try to bring a new chicken and everyone knows what Easter eggs are, right? What color do you make your Easter eggs?” asked Vic Marcum from Marcum Farms to a large group of Love Elementary School second graders and their families.

“Blue, green, red, pink!” shouted the students.

“In a few minutes I will show you some eggs that you might think I colored but they actually came from a real Easter egg chicken.”

There were ohhhs and ahhs from the audience when Mr. Marcum brought out, as a special treat, a live Easter egg chicken. The students had an opportunity to pet the chicken and learn many amazing facts about chickens and their life cycle.

Mr. Marcum’s visit coincided with the second graders’ English Language Arts unit, “Cycles of Nature.” Students learned about several animal and nature cycles including the butterfly, the frog, the seasons, the water cycle, day and night and the chicken. They completed a read aloud on a different cycle each day and teachers added additional questions and activities corresponding with each cycle. The teachers concluded the unit with students picking their favorite cycle, creating a poster about the cycle and writing a sequence of events for their chosen cycle. The unit expands upon what the students have already learned in kindergarten and first grade. Students are exposed to poetry along with introducing them to the many natural cycles that make life on Earth possible.

Since part of the unit was teaching about the life cycle of a chicken, the second grade teachers, Roslyn Sisley-Kazelunas, Laurie Hind and Jen Conroy, decided to bring in Mr. Marcum to demonstrate to the students, and through a family engagement piece, what the life cycle looked like using the Easter egg chicken. He also brought in different eggs and showed the students what chickens eat.

Students also sang three songs about the chicken life cycle, water cycle, and seasons. After the presentation, parents and families were invited to their child’s classroom to dissect a raw egg and a hard-boiled egg and write interesting facts about chickens. They also created a chicken craft project.

“The children were very excited to share their learning from the Cycles of Nature unit with their parents,” said Mrs. Sisley-Kazelunas. “Through the songs, they were able to better understand and remember the vocabulary from the unit and by hearing the read alouds, singing the songs, and completing hands on activities, a variety of learning styles were reached.”

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