4-H Embryology School Enrichment Program Kicks Off in September 2023

For 23 days students will have the opportunity to learn about the life cycle and development of quails while hatching and caring for chicks in Second Grade classrooms.

Through the 4-H Embryology School Enrichment Program, Gaston County 4-H Youth Development Program is excited to partner with Second Grade teachers this fall semester. The program is a hands-on science project that aligns with the Second Grade standard course of study for North Carolina. The program’s goal is to teach the stages of quail development and growth from early fertilization through hatching.There is no cost to participate in the program, but training is required and supplies are limited.
“Children have a natural sense of curiosity about living things in the world around them. Building on this curiosity, students can develop an understanding of biology concepts through direct experience with living things, their life cycles, and their habitats,” commented Christie German, 4-H Youth Development Agent with Gaston County. “There is a lot of excitement and discovery with our Embryology Program.”
Gaston County has supplies for 50 classrooms (one incubator per classroom) and includes teacher training, incubators, and quail eggs provided at no cost to teachers. Public classroom participation is available on a “first come, first serve” basis. Due to the limited number of incubators, home school classrooms are not eligible to participate.

Teacher Training

Second Grade teachers are encouraged to sign up now for the in-person Embryology training:

Wed., September 20, 2023 | 4  - 5pm

N.C. Cooperative Extension Office, 1303 Dallas-Cherryville Hwy, Dallas, NC

Thanks to Our Partners

Thanks to community partners such as Gaston County Farm Bureau and local farmers, Gaston County second graders have benefited from Embryology in the classroom for more than 50 years. Students learn about embryonic development and the life cycle during the 23-day incubation process of quail eggs. They care for the eggs, witness the hatching process and then care for the baby chicks for 2–3 days.

Contact Information

Christie German, 4-H Youth Development Agent:  clgerman@ncsu.edu or 704.922.2126