Hatching a Plan: Ocean State Academy Students Care for Baby Chicks as Part of Hands-On Learning

09 Sep Hatching a Plan: Ocean State Academy Students Care for Baby Chicks as Part of Hands-On Learning

CRANSTON, RI – September 9, 2026 – Which comes first, the chicken – or the egg?

Elementary school students at Ocean State Academy (OSA) in Rhode Island know the answer firsthand as they take part in an ongoing chick incubation project that brings science, responsibility and hands-on learning into the classroom. The program began in the spring and continues as a featured learning experience this school year.

OSA elementary school teacher Caleigh Logan brings the incubation project into her classroom with the help of Casey Farm in Saunderstown. She sets up a “chick cam” so students throughout the building can keep tabs on the eggs and chicks and observe their progress. Logan says the project is designed for elementary school students, but middle- and high school students also eagerly follow the updates.

Before the eggs arrive at school, Logan teaches students about the life cycle of a chicken so they know what to expect and understand what is happening inside the eggs once they are brought into the classroom.

Chicken eggs typically incubate for about 21 days before the chicks begin to hatch.

“Each day, we talk about what is happening inside the egg,” Logan said. “Students observe the chicks hatch and watch as their feathers dry.”

Two chicks at a time move to “brooder boxes” equipped with a heat lamp, food, water and shavings, Logan said. Every day, students make sure the chicks have food, water and fresh shavings. After about 10 days, the chicks return to the farm, where students help settle them into their new home.

“A hands-on experience such as raising chicks and observing their entire life cycle from start to finish allows students to see each step as it happens,” Logan said. “Although the main lesson is for students to learn about and compare the life cycles of different animals, the project also teaches valuable life skills. They learn the responsibility that comes with caring for the chicks and helping them thrive.”

OSA students are excited to welcome a new batch of eggs and chicks this school year. This time around, they are building on lessons from the spring and applying what they learned to make the experience even more successful, Logan said.

The project also gives students opportunities to problem-solve when a chick needs extra care. During the spring hatch, three chicks emerged with physical challenges.

“One chick’s head was curled under it, another’s legs needed casting because they were too wide for it to stand, and one was very small and weak,” Logan explained. “The students help by researching what the chicks need, and each chick grows stronger. By the time they return to the farm, they are healthy.”

OSA Principal Robert Picard says the hands-on program helps students participate in something meaningful while seeing concrete results from their work.

“The chick incubation program gives our elementary school students the opportunity to learn through something tangible and exciting while building important skills like patience, responsibility, communication and teamwork,” Picard said. “Watching our students become so engaged as they care for the eggs and witness the chicks hatch is incredibly rewarding.”

OSA’s experience reflects benefits reported in other classroom agriculture programs.

According to The Livestock Conservancy, a survey in one school system found that 94% of participating students demonstrated greater interest in science through a classroom hatching program, while more than 80% showed marked improvements in science grades and assessments.

Special education programs that involve students in caring for chickens also report opportunities to build communication, teamwork, problem-solving, self-management and independence. An account published by Hatching Time describes how an urban farm and chicken-care program at a New York City special education school helps students practice those skills while participating in hands-on learning.

OSA sees many of those same benefits in its own classrooms. Logan says students benefit socially and emotionally as they visit the chicks in groups, share observations and explain the different stages of the life cycle to others.

“They develop social skills by telling visitors to our classroom what is happening at each stage,” she said. “It is very exciting to see so many students open up and come out of their shells – like the chicks themselves – because they love sharing what they are learning and observing.”

OSA is a Rhode Island State Department of Education-approved private special education school for K-12 students, ages 5-21. It serves students with a variety of needs, including autism, emotional/behavioral disorders and specific learning disabilities. Learn more at oceanstateacademy.com.