Course Title: Principles of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources
Lesson Title: Explaining Egg Production
TEKS Addressed in Lesson: 130.2c. 12d & 130. 2c. 12b
http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter130/index.html
Lesson Objectives. The student will be able to:
1) Identify the breeds of poultry most often used for egg production and their characteristics.
2) Describe the components of an egg.
Tools and Equipment
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Youtube link for introductory video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PedajVADLGw
Egg production power point
Embryology worksheet (see PDF)
Parts of egg flash cards (see PDF)
Key Terms / Vocabulary
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Layers
White Leghorn
White Plymouth Rock
Rhode Island Red
Pullets
Shell
Shell membranes
Albumen
Yolk
Air Cell
Germ Spot
Chalazae
Engage / Interest Approach/Anticipatory Set:
Link:
-Raise your hand if you had eggs for breakfast this morning.
-Did you think about how what you are eating, could have eventually been a chick?
Today, we are going to discuss the anatomy of an egg and what makes up one of our most
popular breakfast foods.
To begin, here’s a neat video that walks through each day of chick development.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PedajVADLGw
Overview:
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Identify the breeds of poultry most often used for egg production and their characteristics.
Describe the components of an egg.
Explore & Explain / Teaching Plan and Strategy / Presentation of New Material
The teacher will first begin by walking through the egg production PowerPoint. Students should take
brief notes over the power point. (Teacher led-discussion)
Poultry Egg Production
Today we will…
 Identify the breeds of poultry most often used for egg production and their characteristics.
 Describe the components of an egg.
Laying Hens
 Layers are housed in large laying facilities
 Laying lifespan of 2-3 years
 Average individual consumption of 250 eggs per year
 Most hens begin to lay around 4-6 months of age
Characteristics of Laying Hens
 Genetically selected for high egg productivity
 Small bodied (undesirable for meat production)
 Allows them to put nutrients towards egg production instead of body size
 Layer Breeds
 White Leghorn
o Most common in commercial industry
o Most abundant egg laying breed
o Lays white eggs
 White Plymouth Rock
o Lays brown eggs
 Rhode Island Red
o Lays brown eggs
Laying Hens
 Pullets grown in cages until they are moved into the laying house at 16 to 17 weeks of age
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Begins laying eggs at approximately 20 weeks of age and by the end of year produce 250 eggs
90% of hens lay at least once egg a day before 30 weeks- peak production
After 30 weeks at peak production slows to once every 26 hours.
What is an egg?
 65% water, 12 % protein
 11% fat, 70 cal.
 It includes the following:
o Shell
o Shell membranes
o Albumen
o Yolk
 Together they protect and nourish.
Parts of an egg
 From Outside to Inside:
o Shell- hard outer surface; calcium
o Shell membranes- there are two one next to the shell, and surrounding albumen, yolk.
o Air Cell- air space between two shell membranes.
o Albumen- egg white.
o Yolk- true egg, if fertilized become embryo.
o Germ Spot - white spot on the yolk where an embryo can begin to develop if the egg has
been fertilized and incubated.
o Chalazae- thick strands of inner thick albumen at each end of the yolk
Elaborate / Activity/Application/ Student Engagement /Laboratory:
Students will be broken into groups of 3-4.
Each group will receive matching flash card cut outs (see PDF) relating to parts of an egg. Their
job is to match the cards with the definitions. Once they complete, the teacher will check to
make sure each match is correct.
Evaluation / Summary:
After each group completed the flash card activity, students will have an embryology handout
(PDF) they should do independently.
Last 5 minutes: oral questions…
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What are common breeds of chickens used for egg production?
What are some characteristics of commercial egg producing breeds?
Today we:
1) Identified the breeds of poultry most often used for egg production and their characteristics.
2) Described the components of an egg.
References/Additional Materials / Extended Learning Opportunities/ Enrichment:
Handouts from
https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/files/project/pdf/4h1500.pdf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PedajVADLGw
College & Career Readiness Standard
Science X
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C-1
E-3
©Texas Education Agency, 2015