By Vicki Jedlicka, Publication and Media Assistant in Lancaster County
Next year will mark 50 years of the Embryology program in Lincoln and Lancaster County. This means two generations of local students have had the exciting experience of hatching baby chicks in their classrooms. Third graders often tell Extension staff visiting their classrooms comments like “we have been waiting for this all year” and “this is the best day of my life!"
Embryology — the study of embryo development — is taught in every third grade classroom in Lincoln Public Schools (LPS), Malcolm, Norris and Waverly, as well as many parochial schools and home schools. This spring, the Embryology program’s three sessions reached 3,945 students in 192 classrooms from 64 schools.
Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County coordinates Embryology, a “4‑H in the Classroom” program. Extension Assistant Madelaine Polk currently leads the program, including scheduling classrooms, communication with teachers, delivering supplies, teaching in the classrooms and distributing chicks to area farmers.
Madelaine says, “I cannot describe the excitement from students when we first visit their classroom and bring their fertilized eggs. The students are always so eager to learn about the development process and hear about the different stages. One of the things I love is how closely they pay attention to all the care directions to follow while incubating and after the chicks hatch. In addition to being an amazing science project, these students are learning responsibility, teamwork, record keeping and how to care for the chicks after they hatch.”
21+ DAYS OF LEARNING
The Embryology unit begins with a classroom presentation by Extension staff about embryo development, the parts of an egg like the “germ spot,” and the difference between fertilized eggs and eggs in the grocery store.
Each classroom receives one dozen fertilized chicken eggs — six white and six brown to show genetic differences. Students turn the eggs three times a day and provide water for humidity in the incubators. After seven days of incubation, Extension staff “candle” the eggs (i.e. shine a bright light through) with the students. By candling the eggs, students can see if the embryos are developing (viable), have stopped developing (died) or were never fertilized.
At the end of the incubation period, about 21 days, the students watch for any signs of “pipping,” when the chicks begin to peck through their shells. Once the eggs start to pip, students repeatedly check the incubator to watch the hatching process, which can take hours.
The newly-hatched chicks stay in the classroom where the students learn how to care for them. After 2–3 days, the chicks are picked up by Extension staff and given to local farmers to raise.
A teacher from Cavett Elementary said, “The students absolutely LOVE this experience! It is not only a highlight of their 3rd grade year, but for most their elementary years.”
PROGRAM HATCHED IN 1976
How did it all start? The Lancaster County Embryology program actually had two beginnings, both in 1976.
In 1976, Ruth Hill — LPS school board member and co-founder of Hill Hatchery in Lincoln (along with her husband) — wanted to do something special for the new school named after her, Ruth Hill Elementary. She asked for guidance from the manager of Hill Hatchery, Richard Earl, who was also a Lincoln Northeast Kiwanis member. That fall, he had a glass incubator with partially incubated eggs delivered to the school, then after the chicks hatched, he visited the students to discuss incubation. The following year, Richard implemented the program in five more schools.
Also in late 1976, County Extension Agent Don Miller and then 4‑H Club Aide Lorene Bartos (now Extension Educator Emeritus) cooperated with the County Superintendent of Schools Glenn Turner to start planning “a 4‑H science project involving embryology ... for pupils in grades three through six.” In 1977, two spring sessions were scheduled with eight county schools, Rousseau Elementary, four parochial schools and the Malone Center. Fertilized eggs were provided by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s research flock.
According to a June 27, 1977 article in The Lincoln Star, the program began as an experiment, but grew as the word got around to Lincoln academia. Don was quoted as saying, “It feels good when teachers call and say they’d like to be involved in the program. The 4‑H office was better equipped to handle the program because it had access to the proper equipment and even the eggs, things that the schools couldn’t get.”
Lorene’s role was to visit classrooms to deliver incubators and eggs, candle the eggs on days 7 & 14, check in during hatching and pick up the baby chicks.
Within a few years, these two budding embryology programs joined efforts. Extension staff coordinated the program and visited classrooms, while Hill Hatchery provided fertilized eggs and repaired incubators.
In 1981, LPS revised its elementary science curriculum and placed Embryology at grade three. In 1993, Embryology became part of the core curriculum for science in LPS.
Betsy Barent, current LPS Science Curriculum Specialist, says, “As we have made strides in science education to create investigations that support students in making sense of the natural world, our partnership with the 4‑H Extension office has been invaluable. Our science standards have shifted a bit over time from understanding life cycles, to understanding similarities and differences in life cycles. Using chicken eggs has been instrumental in our ability to meet these new learning goals. The eggs and chicks serve as a real-life model through which students can figure out the similarities and differences of life cycles by comparing them to other organisms.”
EGG CAM GROWS NEW AUDIENCES
Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County started 4‑H EGG Cam in 2002 as an offshoot of the Embryology program to give classrooms, families at home and all curious viewers the opportunity to watch chicks hatch online.
In 2020 and 2021, EGG Cam became a vital tool for schools locally and across the nation as education pivoted to virtual learning. In addition to hatching, Extension staff used the livestream for presentations and candlings (later transitioning to Zoom presentations with classrooms). Teachers across the country contacted Extension expressing appreciation for EGG Cam.
You can watch at https://lancaster.unl.edu/eggcam. Chicken eggs are usually incubating on EGG Cam January through spring. Sometimes, other eggs, like ducks, are featured. Many hatching and candling videos are on Lancaster County 4‑H’s YouTube channel at https://go.unl.edu/lan4h-eggcam.
THANK YOU PARTNERS
The Embryology program would not have happened without great partnerships developed over the years.
The Lincoln Northeast Kiwanis club donated $400 for video equipment to help start EGG Cam. Richard remained involved in Embryology on behalf of the Kiwanis club until shortly before his passing in 2016. For many years, he drove to the hatchery to pick up the eggs — a duty now done by Kiwanis club members, Rick and Susan Waldren.
Participating schools purchase their own incubators and work closely with Extension staff on scheduling and teaching. Over the years, LPS science specialists have partnered with Extension staff to ensure the program meets state science standards and is updated with current research and technology. All teachers involved in the program have been a crucial part of teaching their students and caring for the eggs in their classrooms.
GQF Manufacturing in Savannah, Georgia designed and built a special incubator for 4‑H EGG Cam featuring a lid with an extra large viewing area.
Extension Educator Tracy Anderson says, “For 50 years, the Embryology program has been a labor of love made possible by passionate educators, dedicated volunteers, generous partners and curious young minds. Thank you to everyone who has helped bring this hands-on science experience to life.”
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Pictured:
• (Upper left) Extension staff “candle” eggs in third grade classrooms after seven days of incubation. Pictured is Madelaine Polk at Trinity Lutheran in March of this year. Trinity Lutheran was one of the first schools to participate in 4‑H Embryology in 1977. By holding a fertilized egg up to a light, students see how the embryos are growing.
• (Upper right) Extension 4‑H staff members Madelaine Polk and Kate Pulec placing chicks from schools into boxes for local farmers to raise.
• (Lower left) Screenshot of chicks hatching on 4‑H EGG Cam.
• (Lower right) Lincoln Northeast Kiwanis club members Rick and Susan Waldren pick up eggs from a hatchery three times a year.