Early Learning Project
Video & Background
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As the clip begins, the two boys lean over the top of the bin containing the new chicks and look at them. When the teacher, Ruth Brewer, asks one of the boys to tell her “about that baby,” he says the chick is “barkin’.”
His attention is clearly engaged by the chick. He soon indicates that he wants to hold the chick. He reaches for it, but Ms. Brewer cautions him not to touch it. His brother explains that the chick “will bite you.” Possibly his comment indicates his theory about why they are not allowed to hold the chick. (In fact, Ms. Brewer wants to wait until the chick is older and stronger before allowing the children to handle it.)
After the teacher asks several times where the chick came from, one of the boys turns to a table behind him while explaining that “he” (the chick) “hatched.” He picks up an eggshell from the table and turns to face the camera, saying, “He hatched in his egg.” Although he initially seemed to have a theory that the chick had flown into the room, he seems to understand that in fact it hatched from one of the eggs.
Transcript
Ruth Brewer: Hey, Colton, what is that? (He looks at the chick without answering.)Ms. Brewer: Colton, tell me about that baby. (pause) Where’d he come from?
Colton: He’s barkin’!
Ms. Brewer: He’s barkin’ (pause, and laughter from other adults). Where’d he come from? Where’d the baby come from?
Christien: He was flyin’ in the air.
Ms. Brewer: He will fly in the air, do you think?
Christien: Yeah.
Colton: I want—hold him (looks to an adult then reaches toward the chick).
Ms. Brewer: Where did that—Colton, no touching please.
Christien: He will bite you!
Ms. Brewer: Colton, where did that—Christien, where’d that baby chicken come from?
Christien: He (turns around and goes to a table behind him)—hatched (picks up eggshell, brings it forward). He hatched in his egg.
Ms. Brewer: He hatched out of his egg?
Christien: Yup.
Ms. Brewer: He did? (Christien returns the egg to the table.)
(Videography by Ruth Brewer, director, The Children’s Garden, Westerville, Ohio.)
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | Benchmark Description | How Benchmark Was Met |
|---|---|---|
Science |
Investigate and categorize living things in the environment. |
Colton and Christien observe the newly hatched chickens as part of an ongoing investigation that included incubating hens' eggs. Colton seems to find similarities between the chick’s sound and the barking of a dog. |
Science |
Show an awareness of changes that occur in themselves and their environment. |
Christien says that the chick “hatched from his egg,” indicating that he is aware of part of the life cycle of a chicken. |
Science |
Express wonder and ask questions about their world. |
Colton’s rapt attention to the chick indicates his curiosity about it. His wish to hold the chick also suggests strong interest. |
This section of the Illinois Early Learning Web site links to activities related to the Benchmarks in the Illinois Early Learning Standards. We expect that early childhood professionals and parents will use these ideas in ways appropriate to their children and their setting. We are sure that you will find many ways to adapt these activities into themes, projects, and units in your program or at home.
An Illinois Early Learning link to a Web site does not imply an endorsement by the Illinois Early Learning Project or the Illinois State Board of Education of any product, resource, or service on that Web site.
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Spanish: ¿De dónde vino el polluelo?
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