Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Susie Pickering

Oak Lane Day School

137 Stenton Ave, Blue Bell, PA 19422

Phone: 610-825-1055

Fax: 610-825-9288

Email: spickering@oaklanedayschool.org

Preschool Students Learn About Life Cycles at Oak Lane Day School

During a recent walk around the pond on Oak Lane's 30-acre campus, teacher Peggi Peter's prekindergarten students saw definite signs of spring. New green shoots and flowering trees were all around, and, as the children drew nearer to the water, they caught sight of a male duck patrolling the area near where his mate nested on the bank. The children excitedly watched the pair as their teacher explained this aspect of the birds' life cycle. Being able to watch animals in their natural habitat was a perfect lead up to the study of life cycles that is undertaken each year by the Oak Lane prekindergarten classes.

In teacher Fairlight Beasley's class, fertilized chicken eggs from Quiver Farm were brought and placed in the classroom in a portable incubator. The eggs arrived well along in their gestation so the children had about a week to wait before the hatching of the chicks. In the meantime, there was much to learn about the developmental process of the embryonic chickens and how to take care of the chicks once they hatched.

Finally, the momentous day arrived, and the first chick pecked its way into the world. The transformation of a wet, bedraggled, and exhausted creature to a bright yellow, fluffy, and energetically peeping baby was delightful to see. As more chicks hatched, the children in Fairlight's classroom had a great time watching them in action. The students particularly enjoyed telling their friends about the exciting happenings in their room and would invite others to come and visit.

Students are presented with opportunities for first-hand observations of the life cycles of various animals from the chickens to Luna moths and silk worms through centers created in each 3 and 4-year-old classroom. As the life cycle projects progress, Oak Lane preschool children can tour their “zoological garden” to experience and enjoy the animals being studied in other classrooms as well as outdoors.

Oak Lane Day School Information

An independent elementary school, founded in 1916 and located in Blue Bell, Oak Lane Day School serves a diverse population of boys and girls. Oak Lane honors each child's unique individuality while fostering intellectual, creative, academic, and personal growth within a diverse community of active, engaged learners. Small class sizes and an atmosphere that encourages children to develop their academic and social skills are priorities at Oak Lane, where learning is a meaningful and joyous pursuit. Oak Lane's country-like property of 30 acres along Butler Pike and Stenton Avenue boasts a stream, pond, woods, meadows, and specimen trees as well as athletic fields and playgrounds.

Oak Lane Day School is accredited by the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS), and is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and the Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools (ADVIS).