Chicago Elementary School Students Get Hands-On Science Lesson with New Chicken Coop Named After Pioneering Black Female Biologist
In a unique effort to integrate science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) into their curriculum, Chalmers Elementary School in Chicago has unveiled a new chicken coop named after Mary Logan Reddick, the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in biology from Harvard University. The dedication ceremony marked one of several events across the city's public schools that celebrate Black History Month.
The silver-colored coop is not only aesthetically pleasing but also serves as an interactive science lab for students. According to Cherita Marquez, the school's STEAM coordinator, it will provide a hands-on experience for kids to observe and collect data on animal behavior, including egg-laying cycles.
"This provides a literal real-time opportunity for kids to come down here, collect data, make observations, even just watching the chickens' behavior," she said. "So it's a real-life kind of science lab here in the middle of our school courtyard."
Students were overjoyed by the new addition and couldn't wait to get started with their experiments. They chatted excitedly about the colors and textures of the chickens, assigning fun names like Cluck Cluck and Bluey.
Chalmers Elementary is part of a broader initiative to bring STEM education into North Lawndale, a community that has historically struggled with limited access to science programs. The new chicken coop represents a step in the right direction, offering students a unique opportunity to engage with science and learn about African American pioneers like Mary Logan Reddick.
As Jayden White, a third-grader at Chalmers Elementary, succinctly put it: "I love chickens. They make me laugh every single time when they walk."
The dedication of the chicken coop is just one part of the larger Black History Month celebrations across Chicago Public Schools. The events will continue through February and aim to promote cultural awareness, celebrate African American achievements, and provide educational opportunities for students.
In a unique effort to integrate science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) into their curriculum, Chalmers Elementary School in Chicago has unveiled a new chicken coop named after Mary Logan Reddick, the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in biology from Harvard University. The dedication ceremony marked one of several events across the city's public schools that celebrate Black History Month.
The silver-colored coop is not only aesthetically pleasing but also serves as an interactive science lab for students. According to Cherita Marquez, the school's STEAM coordinator, it will provide a hands-on experience for kids to observe and collect data on animal behavior, including egg-laying cycles.
"This provides a literal real-time opportunity for kids to come down here, collect data, make observations, even just watching the chickens' behavior," she said. "So it's a real-life kind of science lab here in the middle of our school courtyard."
Students were overjoyed by the new addition and couldn't wait to get started with their experiments. They chatted excitedly about the colors and textures of the chickens, assigning fun names like Cluck Cluck and Bluey.
Chalmers Elementary is part of a broader initiative to bring STEM education into North Lawndale, a community that has historically struggled with limited access to science programs. The new chicken coop represents a step in the right direction, offering students a unique opportunity to engage with science and learn about African American pioneers like Mary Logan Reddick.
As Jayden White, a third-grader at Chalmers Elementary, succinctly put it: "I love chickens. They make me laugh every single time when they walk."
The dedication of the chicken coop is just one part of the larger Black History Month celebrations across Chicago Public Schools. The events will continue through February and aim to promote cultural awareness, celebrate African American achievements, and provide educational opportunities for students.
I am literally so hyped about this new chicken coop at Chalmers Elementary School!!! 
Mary Logan Reddick is like a total rockstar in my books - can't believe they're teaching kids about her and how she broke barriers for women of color in science! 
It's not just about the chickens tho, it's about STEM education and empowering young minds to learn and explore. I'm loving that they're making learning fun and interactive like this! 
The coop is literally gorgeous too, can't wait to see all the cool experiments the kids will be doing there! 
! It's so cool that they're making science fun and interactive like this. I mean, who doesn't love chickens?! 
They're already teaching the kids about animal behavior and data collection – it's like a mini-science lab in their school courtyard! 
The dedication ceremony is such a great way to celebrate Black History Month and introduce students to pioneers like Mary Logan Reddick. It's awesome that Chalmers Elementary is part of this initiative to bring STEM education to North Lawndale, which is definitely needed 
! I mean, who wouldn't wanna learn about science by hangin' out with chickens? 
It's like they're makin' science cool again, you know? And the fact that it's named after a total trailblazer, Mary Logan Reddick, is just the icing on the cake 
. I'm all for gettin' more kids interested in STEM stuff, especially when it's tied to real-life experiences like this. Can't wait to see what kind of wild science experiments these kids come up with! 
. Kids are gonna have so much fun learnin' about animals 
, biology 
and STEM stuff 
. It's great to see schools gettin' creative with their lessons 
to bring science and history to life 
. Can't wait to hear about the cool experiments and discoveries 
!