Chicken Life Cycle Craft

Are you teaching about chicks this spring? Or even better… do you have chicks that hatch in your classroom?! This chicken life cycle craft is the perfect culminating activity for your chicken unit. Read on to see how I use it with my own kindergarten class year after year. This activity would also be appropriate for pre-K or first grade students.

Building Background Knowledge

First I introduce the topic with a good book or two about the life cycle of a chicken. The first one I like is Let’s Hatch Chicks!: Explore the Wonderful World of Chickens and Eggs by Lisa Steele. I love it because while it reads like a storybook, it is packed full of information about the chicken life cycle and where eggs come from. This is also a good one for you if you are planning on hatching your own eggs because it includes some safety tips and things they might see or do.

Another good book I love is Chicks & Chickens by Gail Gibbons. I use Gail Gibbons books for many of my science units and my chicken unit is no different. This book has more than just chicken life cycle information – she also talks about different chicken breeds, what farmers do with the eggs, and how farmers take care of their chickens.

If you have a favorite chicken life cycle book, no problem! This activity is not created in alignment with any specific text so feel free to choose something available to you!

Creating the Life Cycle Wheel

After we read the book together, we discuss the different stages they noticed in the book. First we sequence the larger size cards on our pocket chart as a group. I like to put mine in a circle to make it easier for students to understand the meaning of a life cycle. This also makes a nice visual support for your students to transfer onto their own life cycle wheels.

Once we have sequenced all the stages of the life cycle, I pass out the cut and paste page to students. I always have my students color the pictures first before cutting and gluing onto the sequencing wheel. You can either guide your students in this process or see if they can complete independently, depending on their level! After students are done pasting, I give them the cover to color and cut.

The cover will likely take some adult guidance. Model or help your students push the brass brad through both pieces so the cover spins around. Now your students’ craft is complete! I like to pair students up and have them practice retelling the chicken life cycle using the pictures as a guide.

Ready to try it with your own class? Grab it HERE!

I would love to hear your thoughts on it! Leave a comment below! 👇