MONASTERY, N.S. — Elementary students at East Antigonish Education Centre/ Academy are enjoying the company of some new classmates of the feathered variety.
They are learning about living things, empathy, lifecycles, food production and how to care for livestock with the help of three new brown laying hens.
“The project really has helped create even greater community within the school,” vice-principal Jyl Boyle said. “The pre-primary, early elementary and YSF classes are sharing the responsibility for looking after the birds, so that everyone can take advantage of the learning opportunities and no one feels the responsibility is theirs alone.
“The kids just love the hens. We hope they will also provide opportunities for students to explore many other areas of interest, such as entrepreneurship, food production, cooking, animal husbandry and horticulture to name just a few.”
It is not only the younger students who have contributed to the project. The movable chicken coop or ‘chicken tractor’ was designed and built by high school students Savanna Fougere, Alex Boyle, Colin Sampson, Colby Pettipas, McKayla Tate, Jamie DeCoste, Dallas Gavin, and Skyler Benoitwood who participate in the O2 program, and the fencing was done by the experiential learning class.
The local business community has also been involved.
The chickens were donated by Julie Duykers, manager of the Antigonish Co-op Country Store who was more than happy to help out when she heard about the project.
“We are very grateful for their kind donation,” Boyle said.
One thing is for sure, when these kids get to their eggs-aminations, they’ll remember to chick their answers.
