In my second week at Schule an der Gartenstadt, my excitement was probably higher than the students! My partner teacher, who coordinated an amazing experience, arranged for five real hens to be part of the schoolyard for four weeks. A bit about him: he’s a former farmer and biologist with a huge passion for teaching science, always finding ways to bring the subject into every little moment.
The students were overjoyed when the chickens arrived! Each classroom took on assigned roles: cleaning the coop, collecting eggs, feeding the hens, and even standing as “coop guards” during recess. Two students from my class wore vests and helped keep the area peaceful, making sure no one got too close and disturbed the chickens. The principal even named each hen: Cookie, Snowflake, Laura, Brownie, and Sunflower and shared some fun facts about their personalities.
The four weeks with the chickens became a fully immersive “chicken curriculum.” My partner teacher set the stage by first introducing students to the evolution of chickens from dinosaurs, sparking their curiosity and connecting it to their fascination with the birds. During this “dino week,” the class learned everything about dinosaurs, and I even got to teach them how to draw a T-Rex. The following week as the chickens settled in, we explored the chicken life cycle, discussed genetics (how the color of eggs are determined by the hen’s color), and I even had the chance to teach a lesson on how to draw hens and roosters, which the students loved. Later, we delved into eggs, learning about their structure and even frying up some fresh eggs from our hens! Even in German class, my teacher taught them a chicken song featuring German onomatopoeia, which the students loved singing and dancing along to.
It was amazing to see how one topic found its way into so many subjects—science, art, German, and even music. This interdisciplinary approach was possible because of the flexibility teachers had in creating lessons that weren’t confined to rigid curriculum outlines. With “nature” as the science curriculum topic, my partner teacher could design a four-week experience around chickens that felt both tangible and engaging. Reflecting on it, I probably learned as much about chickens as the students did (maybe even more)! This experience was truly unforgettable and made me appreciate the power of hands-on learning for both the students and myself.