December 23, 2024

Wheeling University Student Teacher Provides Students Valuable Skills Through Science Project

WHEELING, W.Va., Dec. 23 – A Wheeling University teacher candidate used a special science project to teach students at Wheeling Middle School about the developmental stages of a chicken.

Senior Education major, Morgan Magers of Benwood, spent this semester working with students at Wheeling Middle School. Magers suggested the project to the teacher, Mrs. Reilly Gibson, who also had the same learning project in mind.

“When I talked to Mrs. Gibson (about the project), she mentioned she had always wanted to do this lesson, but never knew where to take the chickens after they hatched,” Magers said. Knowing that she had a place to take the chicks once they hatched, they moved forward with gathering the needed items for the project.

Throughout the project, the students would observe the development of chick inside the egg by holding a light (candled) to the eggs. Magers said this allowed the students to chart the growth of the chicks inside the eggs. “When we ‘candled’ the eggs, the students would write in their journals what they had observed.”

“The students were amazed by every aspect of this lesson,” she said. “Of course, the ‘lesson’ was to teach them the lifecycle – from egg to the embryo, to the hatchling to adult chicken. The students didn’t realize they were also learning life skills, responsibility and patience,” Magers added. 

Magers said this was a learning experience for her as well. “I am extremely blessed to experience working with this class,” Magers said. “I think the best part was the relationships I made with the students. I never thought I’d become so close with some of the students. I think having a close bond with the class allowed me to involve and engage them in the curriculum.”