Objective

By the end of this lesson, the student will understand the basics of chickens, including how they are fed, how they lay eggs, and the roles of hens and roosters. The student will also learn about the benefits of pasture-raised chickens.

Materials and Prep

• None needed for this lesson.

Before the lesson, it would be helpful to have a basic understanding of chickens and their behaviors. You might want to think of some fun facts about chickens to share with your student!

Activities

• Chicken Sounds Game:

  Make different sounds that chickens and roosters make and have your student guess which sound belongs to which chicken. This will help them learn to identify chickens by their sounds!

• Feeding Time Role Play:

  Act out feeding chickens. Use your hands to mimic throwing feed and talk about what chickens like to eat. You can pretend to be a farmer taking care of their chickens!

• Egg Laying Story:

  Create a simple story about a hen laying eggs. Use your imagination and encourage your student to help tell the story, adding in fun details about the hen's day.

• Pasture Walk:

  If possible, take a walk outside and talk about what chickens like in their pasture. Discuss the grass, bugs, and sunshine, and how those things help chickens stay happy and healthy.

Talking Points

• "Do you know what sound a chicken makes? Let's make it together!"
• "Chickens love to eat seeds, grains, and bugs. Can you pretend to throw food for them?"
• "Hens lay eggs. Can you imagine how many eggs a hen can lay in a week?"
• "Pasture-raised chickens get to roam outside. Why do you think they like that?"