Lesson on Salmon by Shingo Kawamura
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Grade |
Four |
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Unit |
Life
Science – Salmon |
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Lesson
Topic |
Life
cycle |
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Learning
Outcomes |
·
Relate the structure and behaviour of local
organisms to their survival in local environments ·
Discuss how changes in an organism’s habitat
can affect the survival of individual organisms and entire species ·
Relate the growth and survival of organisms to a
variety of conditions ·
IRP Life Science (Adaptations of Organisms, p.
52) |
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Lesson
Objectives |
1.
Experience first hand what it would be like to be
a returning salmon attempting to identify a home stream by smell. 2.
List hazards that a salmon encounters in its
journey to sea and back to its home stream. |
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Language Focus
·
Imprinting
·
Life cycle
·
Species: Chum, Pink, Sockeye, Coho, Chinook
·
Stages: Egg, Eyed Egg, Alevin, Fry, Fingerling,
Smolt, Adult, Spawner
·
Redd
·
Estuary
Teaching Approach
1.
Students work in groups of four cooperatively.
2.
Students learn by moving their bodies and through
drama.
3.
Students learn by seeing things from “the
salmon’s point of view.”
4.
Students reflect on their learning through drawing
or writing.
Materials
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Styrofoam cups, masking
tape, pencil, paper towels, salmon species cards (numbered), and an
assortment of smells (deodorant, perfumes, shampoo, etc.) |
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Pre-assemble |
Crumple a paper towel and
place it in an unmarked styrofoam cup. Apply a scent to the paper towel,
then cover the cup with another inverted cup and tape the two cups
together. Make several of these, according to the number of groups
(“schools” or species), each with its own unique scent. |
IRP Connections:
Life Science – k, 1, 2, 3,
4, 5, 6, 7
Hook |
5 min. |
Dress up as salmon and
“swim” into class. Ask, “how do salmon find
their home stream after spending time in the ocean?” Ask, “what things could
prevent salmon from making it back?” Bridge with previous lesson
– discuss what students know about salmon so far. |
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Teacher Activity |
Student activity |
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Proceedure(40
min. total) |
2 min. |
Species
tags (numbered), are distributed. |
Students form into
“schools” of salmon. |
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3 min. |
Saftey issues discussed –
how to sniff scientifically (wafting with hand), no running. |
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5 min. |
Set up scent cups (“home
streams”) |
Students act out being born.
They punch a few holes in the scent cups and become familiar with their
“home stream”. They name their stream and label the cup. |
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10 min. |
1.
Send salmon out to sea. 2.
Rearrange streams 3.
Call back salmon |
·
Students act out going out to sea. ·
They discuss what they might see on their journey
and list them on a piece of paper. ·
They try to find their home stream. ·
Check stream name. |
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15 min. |
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