Best of the Week 2022-2023: Teaching in the Future

ST. ED'S CREATES INTERDISCIPLINARY LEARNING EXPERIENCES THROUGH GARDEN'S NEW CHICKEN COOP

Since the inception of the St. Edward Garden back in 2020, students from different programs have been able to take full advantage of the interdisciplinary opportunities the garden has brought. From Engineering and Technology students assisting with the garden's construction to Business and Entrepreneurship students launching a weekly Farmer's Market to give back to the community, the garden continues to create real-world experiences for students with the newest addition of a chicken coop.

Last school year, Language Acquisition Department Chair Lisa Hardin and Engineering and Technology Department Chair JC Froelich '08 hit the ground running on bringing chickens to St. Ed's campus. From the research that went into building a reliable and safe chicken coop to managing the overall time and care the chickens need, the chicken coop became fully operational at the start of this school year, with a lot of assistance coming from our very own St. Andre Scholars. On a weekly basis, the St. Andre Scholars have designated time to tend to the eight hens in the garden. This includes inspecting their general health, replenishing feed and water when necessary, and collecting eggs.

"Through opportunities like this, I hope the St. Andre Scholars really grow to enjoy their role as caretakers for these animals. Students can learn about the animal life cycle, nutrition and ecology through a hands-on experience like this, and what we're trying to do is make it as real for them as possible to apply concepts they learn in their science classes through real life application," says Mrs. Hardin.