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Sep 15, 2023

Perry Creek Elementary kindergartners learn about the life cycle of birds

Neither Nuef Bekerie (left) nor Mia Moreland had ever held on a baby chick

Neither Nuef Bekerie (left) nor Mia Moreland had ever held on a baby chick before. The two Perry Creek Elementary School kindergartners were learning the life cycle of birds in Rochelle Sitzman's class.

SIOUX CITY -- Do chickens kiss?

That was a question Mia Moreland asked classmate Nuef Bekerie as the two Perry Creek Elementary School kindergartners held onto newly hatched chicks Friday morning.

"I don't know if they can kiss," Nuef said while cradling a black-and-white chick. "But I think they're talking to each other."

"Oh yeah, they are," Mia said, imitating the cheep-cheep sounds of the baby chickens.

All of the students in Rochelle Sitzman's class have a connection to not only the chicks, but also the baby quails and ducks whom they've been following from the egg stage to newly hatched.

"Quail eggs need to incubate for around 18 days while chicken eggs take around 20 to 21 days," Sitzman explained. "Both the baby quails and baby chicks are now in the brooding stage, when they need plenty of heat, space and food."

The ducks, however, must incubate for around 28 days.

"Ducks will be ready to come out of the eggs next week," Sitzman said.

Mia was fascinated by Moreland's egg life unit class.

"I had never seen a baby come out of an egg before," Mia said. "I've never held on to a baby chick before."

So, how did it feel?

"Chicks are soft and squirmy," Mia said as Nuef nodded her head in agreement.

Sitzman said teaching kindergartners the life cycle of birds is very important.

"The kids get to see how birds are born and can even sing 'Happy Birthday' as each baby breaks out of its shell," she said. "Instead of learning about it from a book, my students get to feel the babies in the hands."

While the Egg Cycle Unit is classified as a Life Science class, Sitzman has utilized the teaching into multiple directions.

"We've brought in math, art and reading components," she said. "We've even added a writing component, asking kids what it would be like to live inside of an egg."

Gianna Conklin said she wouldn't like to live inside of an egg. She didn't think birds did either.

"Birds like to move around," she reasoned. "An egg is too small."

When asked what she would name the black-and-white chick in her hand, Gianna said she'd name it "Baby Chick."

Gianna's classmate Damien Kennedy was more creative when it came to chicken names.

"I'd call my chick 'Harrison,'" he said. "Why? Because I like that name."

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