Matthew Hicks and Stacy Meadows

Hicks’ and Meadows’ innovative teaching idea, “Who Let the Chickens Out?,” focuses on raising and sustaining a small colony of chickens from the start as eggs to the development as hens and roosters. Students involved in the program will learn an appreciation for Appalachian heritage while engaging in a hands-on, real-life experience to learn in a 21^st century environment. The cross-curricular program will address content standards in the subjects of art, music, social studies, science, math, English, and physical education. Leveraging learnings from their research, the students will be provided with chicken eggs which they will then observe as they incubate, hatch, and grow. The students will be involved in a hands-on learning experience, providing an opportunity to learn how to manage multiple tasks at once and working together with their peers throughout the duration of the program. After the eggs hatch, the chickens will be raised accordingly both inside and outside of the classroom.