Keeping Student Interest
A common complaint expressed by teachers is that student interest in the incubator wains as winter moves into spring. Indeed, there isn't much to look at in the incubator much of the time. The alevin, just like their cousins in the wild, are huddling among the rocks - out of sight, out of (students) mind. So how to keep students interested? There are two ways of addressing this problem. First, explain to the students on day one that the incubator is not an exhibit; it's not there for entertainment value. It is instead an artificial habitat. Second, view the incubator itself as an opportunity for further educational exploration. Here are a few simple ideas to help keep students interested in the salmon/trout:
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After all of the eggs have hatched, some of the rocks can be removed, one at a time, using a pair of kitchen or barbecue tongs. This may make some of the alevin more visible. Approximately one third of the rocks should be left in place. Rock removal should be done very carefully, lifting straight upward, so as not to injure any of the fish.
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Have students conduct the water chemistry tests (pH and ammonia) necessary for proper tank maintenance; perform other water chemistry tests (e.g. dissolved oxygen).
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Have students conduct a comparative chemical analysis using water from the incubator and a nearby water body - perhaps the stream where the salmon will be released. Would the water chemistry of the stream or pond be appropriate for salmon/trout? Why or why not?
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Have students track incubator water temperature to mathematically predict hatch dates.
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Give students responsibility for certain tank maintenace chores; this may encourage stewardship in the incubator.
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Periodically remove eggs, alevin or fry from the incubator and view with magnifying lenses or microscopes; study the embryological development of salmon/trout.
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Raise live brine shrimp, a form of zooplankton typically fed to salmon/trout at hatcheries, in the classroom. An inexpensive way to raise one "family" of brine shrimp is to purchase a "Sea Monkey" kit, available at many toy stores. The creatures in the Sea Monkey kit are really brine shrimp. Studying another life form will spark student interest and draw their attention to the larger biological community that the salmon belongs to.
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Conduct salmon/trout research on the internet.
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Communicate or pen-pal, via the internet, with other schools that are raising salmon/trout in the classroom. The coordinator can provide a list of potential schools for this activity.
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Study salmon/trout behavior in the incubator (after the fish swim-up).