To register for this program, please visit the following website: https://cc4-Hembryologyprogram.eventbrite.com.
This free program is open to anyone across the country, not just Chatham County residents. If you are unable to register online, please contact Victoria Brewer, Chatham County 4-H Extension Agent, via phone (919-545- 8303).
For more than seven years, The Livestock Conservancy has partnered with a 4-H chapter near its headquarters, Chatham County 4-H, to utilize rare heritage breed hatching eggs as part of the Classroom Heritage Chicken Hatching Project. This partnership provides youth an opportunity to not only learn about life cycles, but also heritage breeds and genetic conservation.
Traditionally, the Embryology Program is offered to all Chatham County schools serving elementary age students, and held in the classroom with teachers guiding students through the incubation process and embryonic life cycle. However, due to school closures, caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the program is unable to be held in the classroom, so it will be offered through a virtual learning experience.
Starting Monday, April 20, 2020, Jeannette Beranger, Senior Program Manager at The Livestock Conservancy, and Victoria Brewer, Chatham County 4-H Extension Agent will walk participants through the Experiments in Poultry Science 4-H curriculum. Each session will be released via YouTube on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday through Friday, May 15.
The program schedule is listed below:
- Monday, April 20: Importance of Good Handwashing
- Wednesday, April 22: Warming Up the Eggs
- Friday, April 24: Building an Eggs-Ray Viewer
- Monday, April 27: Playing Peek-a-Boo with Embryos
- Wednesday, April 29: Eggsploring the Egg
- Friday, May 1: Pick a Chick
- Monday, May 4: Building a Home “Tweet” Home
- Wednesday, May 6: Chicken Time on Jeannette’s Farm
- Friday, May 8: Eggsploring Careers
- Monday, May 11: Caring and Handling
- Wednesday, May 13: Counting the Chicks
- Friday, May 15: Chick Check-In
Over a four-week period, participants will learn about and experience the incubation process, necessary requirements for taking care of chicks, and a few tidbits for when chicks become chickens. While this program is traditionally offered to elementary students, this cooperative virtual learning experience can be enjoyed by people of all ages.
The program is offered at no cost to participants, however, we do request that participants register so Chatham County 4-H is able to capture pertinent information for federal and state reporting purposes. Providing requested demographic information allows N.C. Cooperative Extension to ensure that our organization is serving citizens of all communities, providing beneficial programming to diverse audiences. In addition, by registering, you will receive additional opportunities that will enhance this virtual learning experience–all activity sheets included with the curriculum will be sent to you via email or mail, AND you will receive information regarding interactive sessions held with Jeannette and/or Victoria throughout the program, as contact information is required in order to communicate details regarding these interactive sessions.
The N.C. Cooperative Extension is a strategic partnership of NC State Extension, The Cooperative Extension Program at N.C. A&T State University, USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA), and local governments statewide. Extension professionals in all 100 counties and with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians connect millions of North Carolinians with research-based information and technology from NC State and N.C. A&T. Educational programs specialize in agriculture, food and nutrition, 4-H youth development, community development and the environment.
4-H is North Carolina’s largest youth development organization, equipping more than 262,000 young people each year with the skills necessary to succeed and improve the world around them. 4-H programs and camps encourage young people to “learn by doing,” helping them to develop into active, contributing citizens. NC State Extension and the Cooperative Extension Program at N.C. A&T University coordinate 4-H programs statewide. For more on the 4-H program in Chatham County, please contact Victoria Brewer at victoria.brewer@chathamnc.org or Liz Mauney at liz.mauney@chathamnc.org.
We hope you can join us for this cooperative virtual learning experience!
For questions about this program or The Livestock Conservancy, please contact Jeannette Beranger at jberanger@livestockconservancy.org.
