(Chelsea Update would like to thank Kathy Siler for the information in this story.)
The Washtenaw County Farm Bureau recently presented its 2016 Educator of the Year award to a team of first grade teachers from North Creek Elementary School.
They are Karen Glover, Beth Newman, Jennifer Tract, and Lydia Weid.
The award is designed to recognize educators’ efforts to incorporate agriculture into the school curriculum.
The North Creek teachers, with their “Cycle of Life” egg and chicken activity, have done an outstanding job integrating basic agricultural concepts into their lessons while meeting school curriculum objectives in math and science. They also developed their students’ problem solving skills.
The students incubate and hatch eggs, care for the chicks for about two weeks, and keep a journal about their experience. The project culminates when they “meet” adult chickens in a mini-genetics lesson as they compare the markings on their chicks to the mature birds to determine what breed of poultry they are.
Also honored for her Ag-in-the-Classroom efforts was Promotion and Education volunteer Linda Reilly. For the past 5 years, Reilly has partnered with the teachers at North Creek School to supply the eggs and bring in adult birds while answering all kinds of poultry questions before taking the chicks back home to her farm.
The awards were presented by Promotion and Education Chair Lynda Horning, at the county Farm Bureau’s annual meeting on Sept. 19.
