HOME schooling and delivering stimulating and practical lessons for students in the classroom has been made easier, with the Australian Eggs ‘All About Eggs’ education program launching a brand-new virtual hatchery experience.
Thanks to the power of technology, the virtual hatchery gives students the opportunity to enjoy a real farm experience without actually being there. The idea for the virtual hatchery experience was hatched in response to COVID-19 restrictions that prevented schools from participating in excursions centred around real-life chicken hatcheries.
These excursions allowed students to watch chickens hatching and in their early growth phase. This forms the foundation of a learning program, teaching students what it takes to get an egg from farm to plate. The virtual hatchery, through a series of short videos, capture how chicks are born, grow and change within their first few days in a hatchery.
Each segment has been designed to teach students about life cycles and see first-hand where eggs come from. Supported by additional activities that link with the Australian curriculum areas of Visual Arts, Science, and Health and Physical Education, the virtual hatchery experience aims to educate students about how chicks develop inside an egg, the properties of eggs, the needs of living things and how eggs fit into a balanced diet.
Developed in partnership with Kimberlin Education, the All About Eggs program provides a variety of fun and informative activities across primary and high school education, to encourage learning about chicks, hens, egg production and the importance of the egg industry in Australia. In addition to the virtual hatchery video series, Australian Eggs enlisted the help of Poultry Welfare Manager at Days Eggs, chick expert and egg farmer, Jess Spencer, to host a live and interactive learning session.
Broadcast from the farm in South Australia where Jess is responsible for the health and welfare of almost half a million laying hens, the session gave students the opportunity to participate in egg-themed activities and quizzes, as well as ask questions that could be answered directly from the source. The session, held on Thursday October 22, was free to attend.
Australian Eggs managing director Rowan McMonnies said, “In Australia, over 17 million eggs are consumed every day.” “The virtual hatchery program gives us the opportunity to teach students in metropolitan, regional and remote classrooms across Australia about Australian farming practices and connecting them with their food source.
“The process of egg farming happens faster than in other agricultural industries, and students will learn about how many egg farming businesses raise the hens and collect, wash, grade, pack and transport the eggs to market themselves – sometimes all in the one day,” Mr McMonnies said.
For more information on All About Eggs and the virtual hatchery program, visit australianeggs.org.au/education