One Fish, Two Fish...
Are you lucky enough to have witnessed the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly in your grade school classroom? Maybe a mealworm’s progression into a darkling beetle or a tadpole into a frog? Today, many students in Plumas and Sierra Counties can watch the life cycle of a rainbow trout up close and personal, live and unfiltered. With their very own classroom aquarium, students observe firsthand the transformation from egg to alevin to fry as part of a trout’s life cycle, while learning about adaptations for survival, habitat requirements, water quality and so much more.
A flagship program of Feather River Trout Unlimited, Trout in the Classroom (TIC) reaches nearly 20 teachers in the Upper Feather River Watershed. Targeted for grades K-12, participants:
Raise trout from eggs to fry
Monitor tank water quality
Engage in stream habitat study
Learn to appreciate water resources
Begin to foster a conservation ethic
Grow to understand ecosystems
TIC has interdisciplinary applications in science, social studies, mathematics, language arts, fine arts, and physical education. During the school year, each teacher tailors the program to fit his or her curricular needs. Teachers and students end the year by releasing their trout in a state-approved stream near the school or within a nearby watershed.
Trout in the Classroom is a powerful experiential education opportunity where students are actively engaged in the stewardship of trout rearing. It’s a classroom experience that students never forget.
For more information contact:
Michelle is the Trout in the Classroom Program Coordinator. After receiving her Bachelors of Science from CSU, Chico in Environmental Science, her family moved back to the area. She has been with FRTU since 2017.