News

4-H Embryology and more

Daniella enjoyed hatching quail eggs with 4-H Embryology.

By Denise Sherrill, Published: May 2, 2012

What was your favorite part of elementary school? Was it recess? Going to the library to get new books to read? Playing an instrument in music class? Was it science class?

Many students who have gone through elementary school in Henderson County in the past 20 years say their favorite part of school was hatching eggs. Henderson County 4-H provides Bobwhite Quail eggs, incubating equipment and teacher training for 50 second grade classes each year.

 

About 1000 students learn skills in science and math as they turn the eggs, read the thermometer, check the humidity, and keep records. They also learn skills in responsibility and caring for wildlife.

Teachers report that learning about life cycles firsthand helps to develop students' interest in science.

Dena Wolfe, teacher at Upward Elementary School, reports that teachers enjoy the "wonderful participation and enthusiasm of the students with this project." Helen Byrd, teacher at Hendersonville Elementary School, says, "The delight of seeing those chicks hatch is the miracle in the classroom."

Other teachers report: "I love this program. There is no better way to teach life cycles than with live organisms." "It's an awesome opportunity for me to teach life cycles in a fun, exciting way."

The truth is that the embryology project is as interesting to adults as it is to children. It is fascinating to watch the embryo develop inside the egg.

4-H provides candlers, so students can see if the eggs are fertile or not. Starting on Day 6 of development, they can see veins inside the egg, and sometimes see the heartbeat. Eventually the entire egg becomes filled with the developing chick. When the chick hatches, everyone marvels that the chick could fit inside the tiny egg.

Many volunteers help with 4-H embryology, preparing the supplies, delivering eggs to the schools, helping to organize all of the equipment and chicks when they come back to the Cooperative Extension office.

But the volunteers who raise and release the quail into the wild invest most of the time into the project. Their reward is seeing the adult quail in later months and years, the sign of their success.

More 4-H Activities

Meet members of the Heritage Front Porch Pickers 4-H Club at Tractor Supply Saturday, May 5, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This club works with fiber animals and makes crafts from the fiber.

The West District 4-H Horse Show, for 4-H club members, will be Sunday, May 6 at the WNC Agriculture Center. This is a qualifying event for the NC 4-H Horse Show in Raleigh in July.

4-H Mini-Gardening is a gardening competition for Henderson county youth ages 9 – 18. Vegetable seeds and tomato plants are provided, along with an orientation and instructions for planting a 10 x 12 foot garden at the participant's home. Volunteer judges visit the gardens during the summer to evaluate the gardens and give helpful suggestions. Contestants are evaluated on the care and maintenance of their gardens, yields from their gardens, and their garden journals. Winners win gift cards to a local store. The deadline to sign up for this contest is May 14.

4-H Pumpkin Patch Kids is a class for children ages 5 – 8. They grow giant pumpkins at the Bullington Center off of Zeb Corn Road. The first class will be at 4 p.m. Friday, May 25. During the traditional school session, classes will meet at 4 pm. While school is out for summer, classes will meet at 10 a.m. The class meets once every two weeks throughout the summer. Each time they meet they care for the pumpkins and learn all about plants. There is a $15 fee for this program. Pumpkin Patch Kids distribute giant pumpkin seeds at Farm City Day, Saturday, Oct. 6, in Jackson Park.

Kerrie Roach, Henderson County's new Horticulture Agent, will teach "Vegetable Gardening with Kids" on at 4 p.m. Tuesday, May 29, at the Cooperative Extension office in Jackson Park. Visit henderson.ces.ncsu.edu/4-H or call 697-4891 for more information about this program.

Denise Sherrill is the 4-H Agent for Henderson County. 4-H is the Youth Development Program of NC Cooperative Extension, which is a division of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at NCSU. Visit http://henderson.ces.ncsu.edu/4-H , call 697-4891 or email Denise_Sherrill@ncsu.edu to learn more about 4-H activities or endowments.