In a few weeks, ducks will hatch at Unqua Elementary School in the Massapequa School District, but until their arrival, first graders are gaining all the knowledge they can. They are participating in a series of STEAM challenges about animal adaptations, behaviors, and life cycles.
The duck eggs are staying warm in an incubator, with a countdown calendar nearby. Children can look inside and are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the ducklings, which is expected in late May or early June.
During a recent STEAM challenge, children made their own duck eggs. Working in groups, they made a mixture of baking soda and water. The substance had a consistency similar to clay, and they wrapped it around a small plastic duck. Their simulated duck eggs would be put into a freezer for about a week, then students will use water, salt water, and vinegar to try to dissolve the eggs.
Magnet and STEAM teacher Amanda Albert said that one of the units for first grade science focuses on the similarities and difference between adult animals and their young, and how adult animals protect their babies. In addition to making the eggs, students also constructed bird nests out of materials such as paper plates, wooden sticks, and tape.
–Submitted by the Massapequa School District
