You will learn
- Name the stages.
- Describe how a chick develops.
- Say how the hen cares for eggs.
- Put stages in order.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- A hen lays eggs.
- The hen keeps the eggs warm.
- A chick hatches after about three weeks.
- The chick grows into a hen or cockerel.
Words to know
to keep eggs warm so chicks develop
the food store inside an egg
the hard outside of an egg
a male chicken
1. Discover: The brooding hen
At Auntie Mercy’s house, a hen sits on her eggs day after day. “She is keeping them warm,” says Auntie. After about three weeks, tiny cracks appear and a wet chick breaks free. Soon it is fluffy and follows its mother.
Think: Why does the hen sit on the eggs?
2. Understand: From egg to hen
Idea 1: Inside the egg
A chick grows inside the egg. The yolk feeds it. The hard shell protects it. The hen incubates the egg, keeping it warm.
Idea 2: Hatching
After about 21 days the chick uses a small egg tooth to crack the shell and hatches. It is wet at first, then dries to fluffy down.
Idea 3: Growing up
The chick follows its mother, eats grain and grows feathers. After a few months it becomes a young hen or a cockerel. A hen can lay eggs and begin the cycle.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Order
Hen, egg, chick, young bird.
- Egg first.
- Chick hatches.
- Grows into adult.
Answer: Egg, chick, young bird, adult hen.
Example 2 (We do it together): Why warm?
The hen sits on the eggs.
- Warmth helps the chick develop.
- Cold is harmful.
- Hen incubates.
Answer: Warmth helps the chick develop.
Example 3 (You try): What feeds the chick in the egg?
The yolk.
Show the steps and answer
- Food store.
- Gives energy.
- Used up by hatching.
Answer: The yolk feeds the chick.
Did you know?
A chick can start to chirp inside the egg a day or two before it hatches.
Why this matters
Understanding the chicken life cycle helps farmers raise healthy poultry.
4. Explore: Egg sequence
Order picture cards of the stages.
- Lay out the stage cards.
- Put them in order.
- Check with a partner.
- Say what each stage needs.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? The chick needs warmth and food.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- The hen keeps eggs ___.
- The ___ feeds the chick.
- A chick ___ from the egg.
- A male chicken is a ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What does a hen lay?
Eggs.
Question 2. How long to hatch?
About three weeks.
Question 3. What protects the chick?
The shell.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- What does a hen lay?
- How long to hatch?
- What protects the chick?
- What feeds the chick?
- What is a male chicken?
Level 2: Grow
- Why does the hen sit?
- What does the chick do to hatch?
- What does the chick eat after hatching?
Level 3: Stretch
- Draw four stages.
- Explain why warmth matters.
- Compare a chick and a hen.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Science in everyday life
Who keeps chickens near you?
Show a sample answer
Many families.
Another one. Tell a family member one thing from this lesson. Use the words you learned.
Show a sample answer
A clear sentence that uses at least one word from Words to know.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: They need warmth.
Fix: Only fertilised eggs hatch.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can name the stages.
- I can describe how a chick develops.
- I can say how the hen cares for eggs.
- I can put stages in order.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- A hen lays eggs.
- The hen keeps the eggs warm.
- A chick hatches after about three weeks.
- The chick grows into a hen or cockerel.
11. Next lesson
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Name four stages. [4 marks]
- Why is warmth needed? [2 marks]
- What does the yolk do? [1 mark]
- What does the shell do? [1 mark]
- Name one safety rule. [2 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Egg [1]; chick [1]; young bird [1]; adult [1]
- Chick develops [1]; hen incubates [1]
- Feeds the chick [1]
- Protects [1]
- Wash hands [1]; do not eat raw egg [1]
Score guide: 9 to 10 = secure. 6 to 8 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- What does a hen lay?
- How long to hatch?
- What protects the chick?
- What feeds the chick?
- What is a male chicken?
- Why does the hen sit?
- What does the chick do to hatch?
- What does the chick eat after hatching?
- Draw four stages.
- Explain why warmth matters.
Homework
Draw the chicken life cycle. Write one fact for each stage.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. What does a hen lay? | Eggs. | 1 |
| 2. How long to hatch? | About three weeks. | 1 |
| 3. What protects the chick? | The shell. | 1 |
| 4. What feeds the chick? | The yolk. | 1 |
| 5. What is a male chicken? | A cockerel. | 1 |
| 6. Why does the hen sit? | To keep warm. | 1 |
| 7. What does the chick do to hatch? | Cracks the shell. | 1 |
| 8. What does the chick eat after hatching? | Grain. | 1 |
| 9. Draw four stages. | Four drawings. | 1 |
| 10. Explain why warmth matters. | Chick develops. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Eggs.; 2 About three weeks.; 3 The shell.; 4 The yolk.; 5 A cockerel.. Level 2: 1 To keep warm.; 2 Cracks the shell.; 3 Grain.. Level 3: 1 Four drawings.; 2 Chick develops.; 3 Size, feathers, jobs..
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Name the stages | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Describe how a chick develops | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Say how the hen cares for eggs | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Put stages in order | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: “Eggs hatch in the cold.” They need warmth.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Put four stages in order and tell what each needs.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child learns the chicken life cycle. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Look at egg and chick pictures together.
- Ask, “What does the hen do?”
- Draw the cycle.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: name the stages; describe how a chick develops; say how the hen cares for eggs; put stages in order.
Prerequisite knowledge. Grade 1 ideas: animals around us, what animals need and how animals are alike and different.
Materials. Picture cards, paper and pencils. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Print stage cards. Prepare a record sheet.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Show an egg picture and ask, “What is inside?”
Explanation (10 min). Teach stages.
Guided activity (10 min). Learners order cards.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners explain needs.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. Which stage? What does it need?
Teacher explanation notes. Start with real objects and safe, hands-on observation. Then talk about what was seen, then draw and write. Always say “how do you know?”. Keep to the safety notes, and use local, safe materials.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use real objects and pictures, short sentences and a partner. Let learners point, show or draw instead of writing. Extension. Ask learners to find a new example at home and explain how they know.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. “Eggs hatch in the cold.” They need warmth.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 10-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Put four stages in order and tell what each needs. Enrichment. Look for one new example near your home or school, draw it and explain it to someone. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Next Generation Science Standards, Cambridge Primary Science and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Research used to shape this lesson. Courseversity Science curriculum, Grade 2 Unit 3, topic 7; Next Generation Science Standards, heredity and life cycles of organisms (animal life cycles and parent-offspring patterns); Cambridge Primary Science Stage 2, animals and their life cycles; IB Primary Years Programme, how the world works. These sources informed the lesson.