Middle School band teacher crochets chickens for musical milestones

At Sandburg and Plymouth Middle Schools, band teacher Nicki Whelan is raising a flock. Not only her students, but also crocheted chickens. Students don’t just earn their wings through practice; they hatch their own handmade, colorful chickens by mastering musical scales from memory.

“I started this project last year by making little crochet mushrooms for my Sandburg students,” said Whelan. “They would have to play a musical scale memorized in order to obtain the color mushroom associated with the scale.” 

Last year, she made over 400 mushrooms. 

Whelan decided to expand the project this year to include her students at both schools. She offers the chickens in colors corresponding to karate belts based on a student’s grade and the scale they need to play. Whelan also attaches the chickens to keychains, making them easier for students to show off. 

“This crochet project has helped motivate students to play through all of their scales,” shared Whelan. “They are learning new notes independently, understanding key signatures, and learning how to best memorize music for themselves.”

The project continues to be successful: Whelan says there are currently 266 chickens in progress for both schools.