Chicken Coop as Learning Tool

Chickens have descended upon Borton Magnet and Manzo Elementary schools, winning over students, parents and teachers alike.

The two TUSD schools have been running chicken coops on their campuses for two months.

The coops, which have become learning tools, are maintained by students and will be open for public viewing Saturday as part of the Food Conspiracy Co-op's fourth annual chicken coop tour.

The self-guided tour is designed to educate people on the joys and challenges of urban chicken-keeping.

Manzo third-grader Araceli Fuentes doesn't mind cleaning the coop or feeding the six hens. It's the hay that bothers her.

"It just gets you really itchy," the 8-year-old said. "But I like that we get to learn interesting stuff, like how the chickens lay eggs."

Math and economics lessons have also been built around the chicken coops at both schools with students learning to sell the eggs and tracking revenue and expenditures.

And at Manzo - where the project is funded through a Communities Putting Prevention to Work grant aimed at fighting obesity - lessons about healthy eating have been incorporated.

"We're producing a low-fat, high-protein, local organic food to promote healthy eating," said Manzo counselor Moses Thompson, who spearheaded the project. "This is important because our school serves a low-income Latino population that is overrepresented in heart disease, obesity and diabetes."

As much as students learn from the chickens, it's what the fowl do for the students that is perhaps most impressive.

"They really bring a lot of joy and life into a space," said Borton Principal Katrina Smits, who has even seen parents volunteer to help care for the chickens.

Manzo third-grader Jayden De La Rosa, 8, agrees.

"If I'm sad, I like to hold them," Jayden said. "It makes me feel like I will have a better day."

For Manzo Principal Mark Alvarez, that's what it's all about.

"As educators we're always looking to address barriers to learning," Alvarez said. "For some it's economic problems. For others it's family issues. But this is a way to keep students interested in school, and we can tie it into the instruction. It's an amazing opportunity."