Skip to main content

New York Agriculture in the Classroom

Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Matrix

Lesson Plans (18)

Animals on the Farm

Students discover that farm animals produce different types of products. Grades PreK-K

Eggology (Grades 3-5)

Students identify how the basic needs of a growing chick are met during egg incubation, diagram the parts of an egg, and hatch eggs in class. Grades 3-5

Eggology (Grades K-2)

Students identify how the basic needs of a growing chick are met during egg incubation, diagram the parts of an egg, and hatch eggs in class. Grades K-2

Eggs on the Menu

Students will learn the versatility, function, and nutritional benefit of eggs in a healthy diet, identify the function and role of eggs in a recipe, identify forms of technology used on an egg farm, and understand how eggs are classified by size. Grades 6-8

Eggs: From Hen to Home (Grades 3-5)

Students trace the production path of eggs, beginning on the farm and ending in their home and identify the culinary uses and nutritional benefits of eggs. Grades 3-5

Eggs: From Hen to Home (Grades K-2)

Students trace the production path of eggs, beginning on the farm and ending in their home and identify the culinary uses and nutritional benefits of eggs. Grades K-2

From Chicken Little to Chicken Big (Grades 3-5)

Students identify different breeds of chickens, examine physical characteristics, and determine the stages of a chicken's life cycle. Grades 3-5

From Chicken Little to Chicken Big (Grades K-2)

Students identify different breeds of chickens, examine physical characteristics, and determine the stages of a chicken's life cycle. Grades K-2

Hatching Science with Classroom Chicks (Grades 3-5)

Students explore how an embryo develops inside of a chicken egg over time, discuss life cycles and other natural cycles, and observe similarities and differences between parents and offspring. Grades 3-5

Hatching Science with Classroom Chicks (Grades K-2)

Students explore how an embryo develops inside of a chicken egg over time, discuss life cycles and other natural cycles, and observe similarities and differences between parents and offspring. Grades K-2

Hen House Engineering (Grades 6-8)

Students will use the Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning model to evaluate styles of housing used for hens that lay eggs. Using critical thinking skills, students will compare housing styles, determine which system meets their animal welfare standards, and engineer their own hen house model to meet the needs of laying hens. This lesson covers a socioscientific issue and aims to provide students with tools to evaluate science within the context of social and economic points of view. Grades 6-8

Hen House Engineering (Grades 9-12)

Students use the Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning model to evaluate styles of housing used for hens that lay eggs. Using critical thinking and scientific investigation skills, students will compare housing styles, determine which system meets their animal welfare standards, and engineer their own hen house model to meet the needs of laying hens. This lesson covers a socioscientific issue and aims to provide students with tools to evaluate science within the context of social and economic points of view. Grades 9-12

Inside the Egg, Hatching Chicks (Grades 3-5)

Students investigate embryo development in chicken eggs. Grades 3-5

Inside the Egg, Hatching Chicks (Grades K-2)

Students investigate embryo development in chicken eggs. Grades K-2

Little Red Hen

Students use the story The Little Red Hen to investigate wheat production and bread making. Students thresh their own wheat and grind it into flour to make bread. Grades K-2

Photoperiod Phenomena (Grades 6-8)

Students will understand how photoperiodism impacts plants and animals in the environment and learn how egg farms use this science to manage the laying of eggs by their hens. Grades 6-8

Photoperiod Phenomena (Grades 9-12)

Students will understand how photoperiodism impacts plants and animals in the environment and learn how egg farms use this science to manage the laying of eggs by their hens. Grades 9-12

Weighing in on Egg Labels, Supply, and Demand

Students will apply a basic understanding of the laws of supply and demand, learn about different types of egg laying farms, and recognize the impact labeling has on consumer choices. Grades 9-12

Companion Resources (37)

Activity

The Life Cycle of a Chicken
Create a colorful, egg-shaped chicken life cycle using the templates and egg tempera paint recipe provided in this activity.

Book

A Chicken Followed Me Home!
What's that? A chicken followed you home? Now what do you do? Author-illustrator Robin Page leads a step-by-step, question-and-answer-style journey through the world of chickens. Along the way you'll explore different breeds, discover different types of coops, and learn everything there is to know about chicken reproduction and hatching.
Chick Life Cycle
Learn all about a chick's life cycle in this book for young students. Simple text and clear pictures make it fun to learn about different chicken breeds, the parts of a chicken, how the chick embryo develops, and how a baby chick grows into a mature hen that can lay its own eggs.
Chickenology
Chickenology takes young readers on a fascinating and informative tour of chickens. With a playful tone and irresistibly charming illustrations, this lively visual encyclopedia presents chickens in all of their feathered glory. Discover the incredible variety of chickens with different origins, breeds, and feather patterns. Learn incredible facts: did you know that chickens can learn to count up to four and have excellent hearing? Many even like to listen to music!
Chickens on the Farm
This book for grades K-3 explores the importance of chickens in agriculture. Colorful photographs illustrate how farmers care for chickens, and fun facts are included throughout. Students will learn that there are more than 16 billion chickens on Earth, that poultry is another name for farm birds that people raise for meat and eggs, and much more.  
Chicks & Chickens
Chicks & Chickens illustrates and teaches about the production of eggs. You will learn how eggs are produced for human consumption and how fertilized eggs develop into embryos and grow to be fuzzy baby chicks. Readers will also learn about various chicken breeds, behaviors and terms.
Daisy Comes Home
This is the story of six hens in China. Cared for by the young Mei Mei, the hens lay eggs for selling at the market. But one hen, Daisy, is not so happy. Picked at and plucked by the others, she is ousted from the clan and ends up taking a serendipitous adventure. When Mei Mei finally brings her back home, Daisy uses her newly learned skills to stave off the mean hens and gain a rightful spot on the perch. This engaging tale can be used to introduce any lesson involving chickens.  
Farm
This beautifully illustrated and descriptive book gives students insight to farm life through the seasons. Farmers plant, harvest, and store crops using a variety of farm machinery. The children living on the farm help plant a vegetable garden and feed the cows and chickens. Some of the harsh realities of farm life are honestly depicted – weather challenges, hard work, and a rooster that disappears. The story's farm animals and children will capture the attention of students as they explore life on a farm.
Farm Animals
Farm Animals is a 32-page book filled with facts to learn about many types of farms and the animals that live there. The book includes real-life pictures and color illustrations. In addition to the text, each page includes a fun fact. Readers will learn why traditional farm animals such as beef cattle, dairy cattle, goats, sheep, chickens, and pigs are kept on farms. They will also learn why specialty farms raise ducks, geese, fish, and ostriches.
Farm Animals: Chickens
Learn all about chickens, from how they sleep to what they eat. This easy to read, factual book will answer all your questions about chickens. A complete table of contents, glossary, and index make this book easy to use.
From Egg to Chicken
This title explains how an egg grows into a chicken in a clear and organized manner, beginning with a hen laying eggs, then following the hatching of the eggs and care of the chicks, and ending with a graphic summary of the life cycle of a chicken.  
Hatching Chicks in Room 6
Discover chicks and watch them hatch in room 6! This book highlights the life cycle of chickens, parts of an egg, incubation, and caring for freshly hatched chicks. 
I'm Thinking of a Farm Animal
Each child is thinking of a farm animal. What do the animals look like? What noises do they make? Read the clues, make a guess, and pull the slider to reveal the animal hiding in the beautifully illustrated scene.
One Egg
One little egg can go on to become one incredible creature! From egg to chick to chicken, find out about the life cycle of an egg in this fascinating guide.
One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference
Inspired by true events, One Hen tells the story of Kojo, a boy from Ghana who turns a small loan into a thriving farm and a livelihood for many. After his father died, Kojo had to quit school to help his mother collect firewood to sell at the market. When his mother receives a loan from some village families, she gives a little money to her son. With this tiny loan, Kojo buys a hen. A year later, Kojo has built up a flock of 25 hens. With his earnings, Kojo is able to return to school, and soon Kojo's farm grows to become the largest in the region. The final pages of One Hen explain the microloan system and include a list of relevant organizations for children to explore. This book is part of CitizenKid, a collection of books that inform children about the world and inspire them to be better global citizens.
Poppy's Chicks (Farm Friends)
Poppy can't wait for her hen, Dottie, to have chicks. But when Poppy checks the chicken coop, she realizes Dottie's eggs aren't going to hatch. Poor Dottie! Poppy is determined to help. She and her mom visit the feed store, and Poppy comes up with a new plan—she'll hatch her own eggs. But will Poppy's eggs hatch for Dottie?
Sonya's Chickens
Sonya raises her three chickens from the time they are tiny chicks. She feeds them, shelters them, and loves them. Everywhere Sonya goes, her chicks are peeping at her heels. Under her care, the chicks grow into hens and even give Sonya a wonderful gift: an egg! One night, Sonya hears noises coming from the chicken coop and discovers that one of her hens has disappeared. Where did the hen go? What happened to her? When Sonya discovers the answers, she learns some important truths about the interconnectedness of nature and the true joys and sorrows of caring for another creature.
The Chicken-Chasing Queen of Lamar County
Meet one smart chicken chaser. She can catch any chicken on her grandmother's farm except one - the elusive Miss Hen. In a hilarious battle of wits, the spirited narrator regales readers with her campaign to catch Miss Hen, but this chicken is "fast as a mosquito buzzing and quick as a fleabite." Our chicken chaser has her mind set on winning, until she discovers that sometimes it's just as satisfying not to catch chickens as it is to catch them.
The Hen Who Sailed Around the World
Monique is a highly accomplished chicken: she surfs, she skateboards, and she just crossed the world on a tiny boat with her human companion, Guirec, who helped steer. On their three-year journey, together they were unstoppable. When they became stranded in the ice off Greenland for four months, Monique, unruffled as always, kept Guirec alive with her eggs—and they both made it home.
The Year at Maple Hill Farm
In January, the cows stay in the barnyard, and the chickens don't lay many eggs. By March, you can tell spring is coming: the barn is filled with baby animals. Month by month, the animals at Maple Hill Farm sense the changing seasons and respond to the changes.
Zinnia and Dot
This the story of two feuding hens who lose all but one egg to a weasel that sneaks in while they're busy squabbling. Now they really have something to fight about. Whose is the egg that's left? Will friendship triumph over vanity? Use this book to engage young students before a lesson on chickens, eggs, or embryology. 

Booklet/Reader

Poultry Reader
This printable four-page reader is packed with information about chickens, turkeys, and other poultry. Use this reader to share information about the parts of an egg, poultry-related careers, the diets of chickens, and more.

Kit

About...Books
If you are a teacher who creates educational books with your children, try creating the About Cattle, About Sheep, About Chickens, About Pigs, and About Goats books. Some of the books provide pages ready to color, others require the names of the animals be written, and other pages ask students to glue down feed samples or wool products. The books provide an opportunity to talk about animal needs, uses, offspring, seasonal changes, etc. The package of materials includes ready-to-copy booklet masters and enough samples of wool, hay, straw, cattle, pig, and chicken feed for the entire class to create the booklets. Order this kit online from agclassroomstore.com.
Chicken Genetics Matching Cards
Each breed of chicken has specific genes which indicate what it will look like, how many eggs it will produce, how large its body will be, etc. Use the Chicken Genetics Matching Cards to discover the basic genetic characteristics found in various breeds of chickens. This kit includes 8 matching cards, 8 description cards, and an answer key. Order this kit online from agclassroomstore.com.
Countdown to Hatch
Build suspense and get a sneak peek at embryo development inside a fertile egg with this colorful embryology kit. The kit contains 21 plastic eggs. Inside of each egg is a laminated picture and detailed developmental description of the chick growing inside. One egg should be opened on each day of the 21-day chick hatching cycle to give students an exciting look at the mysterious process that happens inside the egg. This kit can be used on its own but also makes a great complement to a classroom hatching project. Order this kit online from agclassroomstore.com.