Nanheps Elementary School is an experimental elementary school located in Miaoli County. The school employs a four-season curriculum plan, incorporating food and agricultural education, and provides a more diverse learning experience by housing retired laying hens.
The original chicken coop was situated within a makeshift enclosure, surrounded by abandoned concrete structures and haphazardly disposed of compost piles. Despite the school's beautiful Taiwanese raintree, the visual openness of the area was obstructed. The lack of clearly defined zones and convenient planning for school use resulted in students being less willing to enter the chicken coop.
As Louis Kahn said, "School began with a man under a tree, who didn't know he was a teacher, sharing his realization with a few who didn't know they were students." Suppose the essence of teaching and learning originates from shaded spaces where knowledge is shared. In that case, we aspire to create an environment where teachers, children, and chickens coexist, sharing ideas beneath the canopy of trees.
We relocated the chicken coop from a secluded corner to the heart of an open area, using a gently curved white metal fence to form a concave enclosure beneath the Taiwanese rain tree. We've created an ohm-shaped chicken coop fence by connecting the towering trees, the food garden, and the composting area. Within this structure, children can closely observe the lives of the chickens and interact with them through chicken name cards, egg racks, and feeding. This fosters a deeper connection with life.