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Try It Yourself!
The eggs of a reptile are similar in many ways to a chicken’s egg. Learn
more about how these eggs are adapted for survival on land by taking a
closer look at a chicken’s egg.
Science Safety: Be sure to clean up all spills. Wash your hands thoroughly after
completing this activity. Do not eat anything in this activity.
Suggested Materials
Chicken egg, raw
Paper towels
Sharp knife or pointed scissors
Magnifying glass or microscope
Shallow dish or bowl
1. Get a raw chicken’s egg and place it in a “nest” of paper towels. Describe the
outermost part of the shell.
2. Carefully tap the shell with the scissors or knife to break a small hole in the
shell. Insert the knife or scissors into the small hole and cut a large hole in the egg.
3. Pour the contents of the egg into the small bowl, taking care not to break the
yolk.
4. Use the magnifying glass to look at the egg shell. What do you see?
5. How do you think the evolution of the hard egg shell helped reptiles live on
land?
6. Continue to use the magnifying glass to examine the egg yolk. What does this
look like?
7. The yolk is the food for the developing embryo. If this egg was fertilized and
an embryo was inside, what would you expect the yolk to look like when the egg
hatched?
8. Examine the “white” of the egg. This is the clear, liquid part of the egg. What
do you think the function of this part of the egg is?