Happy Friday Friends!
You might have noticed that around springtime every year, we see so many little eggs everywhere! We even see eggs used as decorations in our homes! This also is the time of year when many baby animals are born into the world. Do you know which baby animals come from an egg?
Which of these animals eggs are you the most familiar with?
Do you have any eggs from a chicken in your home or on a nearby farm?
 | We see so many eggs in the springtime because they represent new birth and fresh life. All of the flowers and animals are waking up from the cold winter, blooming and having new babies. Can anyone guess why birds lay eggs and don't carry their babies inside their bodies? Birds need to fly, and if they get too heavy, they wouldn't be able to make it off the ground! Eggs need a lot of warmth in order for the embryo (baby chick) to develop, so the mama hen sits on her eggs to help them grow safely. This is called incubation! |
What's beneath the shell?
There are many different parts that makes up the little egg that you hold in your hand! Let's take a look..
The egg’s shell has more than 7,000 tiny pores that allow oxygen to pass into the egg and carbon dioxide to escape.
The inner and outer membranes, found between the eggshell and the egg white, keep bacteria from entering the egg, and help to slow evaporation of moisture from the egg.
The air cell, located between the inner and outer membranes at the large end of the egg, holds oxygen for the chick to breathe.
The albumen, or the egg white, cushions the egg yolk floating within it and is the main source of protein and water for the embryo.
The yolk provides food for the embryo. It is made up of fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and minerals.
The chalazae are cords on two sides of the yolk that keep the yolk floating in the center of the albumen.
The germinal disc is the white spot on the yolk. This is where the female’s genetic material is found.
The inner and outer membranes, found between the eggshell and the egg white, keep bacteria from entering the egg, and help to slow evaporation of moisture from the egg.
The air cell, located between the inner and outer membranes at the large end of the egg, holds oxygen for the chick to breathe.
The albumen, or the egg white, cushions the egg yolk floating within it and is the main source of protein and water for the embryo.
The yolk provides food for the embryo. It is made up of fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and minerals.
The chalazae are cords on two sides of the yolk that keep the yolk floating in the center of the albumen.
The germinal disc is the white spot on the yolk. This is where the female’s genetic material is found.
 After the chick is born, it grows up into a chicken! A male chicken is called a rooster, and a female chicken is called a hen. The hen will soon lay more eggs and the life cycle will start again! Can you draw a diagram of the life cycle of a chicken? | Everything the embryo needs to grow is inside of this little egg! It has food to grow, cushion to be safe, and air to breathe. Can you grab some paper and markers to draw your own egg diagram? What happens once the chick is ready to hatch? Watch this video to see a real life chick being born!  |
Nature Easter Eggs!
This time of year there are many spring holidays, like Easter! There is a spring tradition to decorate Easter eggs with paint or food dye. Today, we will decorate them with nature!
Here's what you will need:
- Cardboard or card stock (try using an old tissue box)
- Scissors
- Glue sticks or white glue
- Pencil
- Nature!
STEP ONE:
Collect all of your supplies! For your nature supplies, you can go outside and gather some small flowers, grass, leaves, rocks ... whatever you can find!
Collect all of your supplies! For your nature supplies, you can go outside and gather some small flowers, grass, leaves, rocks ... whatever you can find!
STEP TWO:
Trace different size egg shapes on your cardboard. Try to make some big ones and little ones! Use your scissors to carefully cut out the egg shapes.
Trace different size egg shapes on your cardboard. Try to make some big ones and little ones! Use your scissors to carefully cut out the egg shapes.
 | STEP THREE: Cover your egg shapes in glue. You can do this all at once, or one at a time...just be sure your glue is still wet for the next step! |  |
STEP FOUR:
Make a design on your egg with the pieces of nature you found outside!
Try making patterns or layering your nature pieces. Add more glue as you need it!
Make a design on your egg with the pieces of nature you found outside!
Try making patterns or layering your nature pieces. Add more glue as you need it!
Display your eggcellent creations for everyone to enjoy!
