Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation 1

Classroom in a Box: Discovering Saskatchewan’s Fish Species

Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation 2

Thepurposeofthisclassroominaboxistointroduceyourstudentstothefishthatliveinourriversandlakes,learnaboutthespecialadaptationstheyhavethatmakethemperfectforlivinghere,andtalkaboutinteractionbetweenhabitatandpopulations.Thisprogramwillalsoprovideyouwiththeopportunitytogetyourclassoutside,allowyourstudentstoconnectwiththenaturearoundthem,andtapintotheircreativeside!Feelfreetomixandmatchactivitiestosuityourclassdynamicandcurriculumrequirements.IfyouarealreadyparticipatingintheFishInSchoolsprogram(FINS),thenthisisagreatwayforyourstudentstogettoknowandunderstandthetroutthatyouareraising,aswellastheotherfishthatyoucanfindinourprovince.

IntroductiontofishinSaskatchewan

Saskatchewanishometohundredsoffishspeciesofallshapes,sizes,andcolours.Somehavingbeenintroducedwhileothershavebeenlivinghereforthousandsofyears(livingdinosaurs!).Whethertheyareonlyafewmm’sbigoranarm’slength,thesefishliveandthriveinadverseconditions.Theyareequippedwithcountlessadaptationsthatmakethemperfectfortheirchosenhabitats.Wetlandloss,climatechange,andinvasivespeciesallthreatentheirefficiencyandmakeithardtosurvive.Understandinghowthesespeciesfunctionandhowwecanmakeapositiveimpactiscrucialtothefutureofourlakes,rivers,andsportfisheries.

Activity1:FishAdaptations:Designingfish

Purpose:

Tounderstandthedifferentadaptationsthatfishhaveforvariousaquatichabitats.Materials:

• 5cardsforeachadaptationfromthemastersprovided

• crayons• largepaper

Background:

Aquatic animals are the product of countless adaptations over long periods of time. Theseadaptations,forthemostpart,arefeaturesthatincreasetheanimals’likelihoodofsurvivingintheirhabitat.Whenahabitatchanges,eitherslowlyorcatastrophically,thespeciesofanimalswithadaptationsthatallowthemmanyoptionsaretheonesmostlikelytosurvive.Somespecieshaveadaptedtosuchanarrowrangeofhabitatconditionsthattheyareextremelyvulnerabletochange.Theyareover-specializedandareusuallymoresusceptiblethanotheranimalstodeathorextinction.

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Activity:

1) In this activity the students will design a variety of fish adapted for various aquatichabitats.

2) Explainthatadaptationmeans:theprocessofmakingadjustmentstothe

environment. Give examples: porcupinehas adaptedquills for defense and claws forclimbingtrees,owlshavedevelopedspecialeyestohelpwithhunting.

3) Puttheadaptationcardsinto4piles.Oneforhabitat,oneforcolouration,etc.Dividethe

studentsintosmallgroupsof2or3.Have1ofthestudentsfromeachgroupcomeupanddrawacardfromeachpile.

1) Eachgroupistocreateanewspeciesoffishusingthecharacteristicsonthecardsthey

drew. They should draw the fish and its surrounding habitat, and name the fish.Encourageallkidsineachgrouptoparticipate.

2) Haveeachgrouppresenttheirfishtotherestofthegroupexplainingitsadaptationsand

habitat.

3) Show the students pictures of actual fish and have them point out the differentcharacteristicsandadaptations.Thiswillhelpthemtolearnthedifferentspeciesoffishand understand their habitats. There are good pictures in the Saskatchewan AnglersGuideorfeelfreetousethefishpostersthatwereincludedinthiskit.

Thisactivityhasbeenadaptedfrom“FashionAFish”intheprogramProjectWild.

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Habitat Fast flowing river

Body Shape Torpedo

(for moving fast)

Habitat Deep, cold lake

Body Shape Flat belly

(for feeding on the bottom)

Habitat Ocean (salt water)

Body Shape Hump backed

(stable in moving water)

Habitat Marsh

Body Shape Vertical disk

(can feed above or below)

Habitat Slow ,moving creek

Body Shape Eel-like

(can hide in rocks)

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Colouration Light coloured belly

(predators have difficulty seeing it from below)

Mouth Shape Sucker shaped mouth

(feeds on small plants)

Colouration Dark upper side

(predators have difficulty seeing it from above)

Mouth Shape Long upper jaw

(feed on prey it looks down on)

Colouration Vertical stripes

(can hide in vegetation)

Mouth Shape Long lower jaw

(it feeds on prey it sees above)

Colouration Spotted

(can hide in rocks)

Mouth Shape Duckbill jaws (for grasping prey)

Colouration Horizontal stripes

(can hide in vegetation)

Mouth Shape Large mouth

(engulfs prey)

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Activity2:DesigningHabitat

Purpose:Thepurposeofthisactivityistogetstudentstoidentifythecomponentsthatareessentialformostaquaticanimalstosurvive.

Materials:

• Recipecardswithfishanddescriptions(providedforclasses)• Artsupplieseg.Modelingclay,string,cardboard,foam,paints,pebbles• 5Ljars

Background:Zoosandaquariumsuseartificialhabitatstobringanimalsandfishclosertohumans,sowecanlearnabout(and,insomecases,save!)species.Therearealotofthingsthatneedtobeconsideredwhendesigningthesehabitats.Someanimalslikemovingwater,otherslikeitstatic.Somefishliketoliveindeepwater,whileotherslikeshallowerwarmwater.Rockyvssandy,saltvsfresh,lotsofvegetationorlittlevegetation,theseareallexamplesofdifferentwayshabitatscandifferfordifferentcreatures.Theideabehindthisactivityistocreateaminihabitatforthecreatureyouchoseusingcraftsupplies.Useyourimagination!Can’thaverunningwaterinajar?Whatwoulditlooklikeifyoucould?

Activity:

1. Separatetheclassintogroups.Eachgroupgetsajarandtheygettochooseacardfromthedeckwithanaquaticanimalonit.

2. Oncetheyhavetheirfishandtheirjartheycanusedifferentresourcestofindoutwhatsortofhabitattheirfishprefers.

3. Oncethathavethebasicinformationtheyneed,theycanusedifferentcraftingsuppliestocreateminiaquariaorterrariumsthatwouldsuittheirfish.

4. Attheend,studentscancomparenotestoseehowdifferentcreatureswillneeddrasticallydifferenthabitats.IfyouareaFINSschoolyoualreadyhaveanexample!

Thisactivitywasadaptedfrom“Designingahabitat”intheprogramProjectWild

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Activity3:PondExploration

Purpose: Toexplorethenumberofdifferenttypesofaquaticorganismsanddeterminethehealthofthepond.Materials:

• 1largeplasticcontainer(4litreicecreampail,lightcoloureddishpanor• rubbermaidcontainer)• 1smallwhiteplasticcontainerperchild(margarineoryogurtcontainers)• 1whiteplasticspoonperchild• Magnifyingglassesorboxes(enoughtoshare)• Identificationguides(optional)• Copiesofthe“PokeIntoAPondChecklist”.

Background:GoodwaterqualityisessentialtothesurvivaloffishspeciesinSaskatchewan.Thepresenceorabsenceofsmallaquaticorganismsisahugeindicatorofthequalityofthewater.Waterwithavariedrangeofaquaticcreaturesistypicallyconsidereda“healthy”environment,onethatmanyothercreaturessuchasfishcanlivein.Thesecreaturesmakeupthebottomofthefoodchain.Theyofteneatplantsorotherinsectsandtheyprovidefoodforlargespeciessuchasperchorwalleyeorducksthatcouldalsobelivinginthepond.Activity:

1. Takeyourgrouptoapond,sloughorwaterhole.Avoiddugoutsorotherwaterbodiesthat

havesteepsides,deepwaterneartheedgeorfastwatermovement.Duskanddawnarethebesttimestostudyactivityaroundandinponds,lakes,riversandwetlands.LateMayandJunearethebestmonths,althoughautumnisagoodtimetoseemigratingwaterfowl.

2. Stopandwatchforawhilebeforeyoureachthepond.

Encourageeveryonetobequietasyouapproach.Seewhat kindof birds, animals andother creatures arefoundnearby.

3. At the waters edge, check the water before it gets

stirredup. Seewhat’s flying justabovethesurface,skimmingacrossit,orswimmingjustbeneathit.

4. Poursomepondwaterintothelargeplasticcontainertocreatethegroup‘pond’.

5. Thestudentsusetheirpersonalcontainertoscoopupsomeaquaticlife.Usingtheirplastic

spoon,theycangentlyremovesomeofthecreaturesandaddthemtothegroup‘pond’.Alloftheexcitingfindscanthenbesharedwiththegroup.

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Note:Pleaseensurethathandsarewetbeforehandlinganypondcreatures.Yourdryskincanremovetheslimywaterproofcoatingonaquaticorganisms.

6. Organisms can be spooned intomagnifying boxes or small containers to be viewedmore

closely.Thekidscantrytoidentifythecreaturesorevensketchthemtolookatlater.

7. Whenyou’vefinishedlooking,gentlypourallthewaterandthecreaturesbackintothepond.

Note:Don’tletthecreaturessittoolonginthesun.Manyofthemneedshadeandcoolwater.

8. Youmaywishtohavethestudentswadeoutalittlefartherintothepondwith

rubberbootsoroldshoes.Thisoftenchurnsupthebottomandmakesitverydifficulttoseeanythinginthewater.Encouragedippingfromtheedge,thenallowthemtowadeintothewaterneartheendoftheactivity.

Theactivitywasadaptedfrom“PokeintoaPond”fromWondersofWildlife(2008)and“WaterCanaries”fromProjectWild(2017)

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Water Boatman

About this long

Water Strider

About this long

Freshwater Shrimp

About this long Mosquito Larva

About this long

Mosquito Pupa

About this long

Water Mite

About this long Predacious Diving Beetle Larva

About this long

Predacious Diving Beetle

About this long

Pond Snail Can be as large as this drawing.

Wheel Snail Can be as large as this drawing.

Water Flea

About this long

Leech Size varies

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Crayfish Size will vary.

Frog Size will vary

Whirligig Beetle

About this long Dragonfly Nymph

About this long

Damselfly Nymph

About this long

Copepod Very tiny

Backswimmer

About this long

Caddisfly Larva

About this long

Seed Shrimp

About this long Fairy Shrimp

About this long

Spider Size varies.

Tadpole Size varies

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Activity4:HolyPerch!

Purpose:1.Thepurposeofthisactivityistodefine“limitingfactors”forsurvivalandgiveexamples.

2.Recognizethatsomefluctuationsinfishpopulationsarenatural,andthatecologicalsystemsundergoconstantchange.

Materials:Somethingtomarktwostartinglines.

Background:Avarietyoffactorsaffecttheabilityoffishtosuccessfullyreproduceandmaintaintheirpopulations.Someofthesefactorsinclude:space,food,shelter,oxygen.

Whilefishmightalreadybeshelteredfromsomeoftheelementssuchasthewind,shelterisreallyimportantforfishtoavoidpredators.SomepredatoryfishinSaskatchewanincludepike,perch,andwalleye.

Thoughwaterisplentiful,oxygenisalimitingfactorforfishbecauseifthereisnotenoughoxygenfortheirgillstoextractfromthewatertheycannotsurvive.

Food,whetheritisplantmatter,insects,orotherfish,isanobviouslimitingfactorjustlikeitisforus.

Theonefactorthatcanhaveanimpactonthe3otherfactorsisspace.Iftoomanyfishliveinapondtherewillnotbeenoughfood,shelter,oroxygentogoaround.Thiscancausefluctuationsinpopulations.Insomecasesthiscanalsocause“stunting”atermwhichisusedwhentoomanyfishliveinasmallareaandtheydonothaveenoughroomtogrowsotheyallremainverysmall.Thishappensfrequentlywithyellowperch.

Inthisactivitystudentshavethechancetoseehowthesepopulationsfluctuatenaturallyinrelationtotheselimitingfactors.

Activity:

1. Tobeginthisactivityexplainstoyourstudentsthatthisactivityemphasizesthemostessentialthingsthatfishneedtosurvive.Reviewthelimitingfactorsforsurvival:space,food,oxygen,andshelter.Inthisgamewearegoingtolookatinteractionsbetweenthreeofthem,space,food,andshelter.Wearegoingtoassumethattheoxygencontentinthisparticularlakeisoptimalforsurvival.Laydownsometapeorropeasstartingpointsabout15mapartorasmuchroomasyoucanforsmallerareas.

2. Askyourstudentstocountoffintofours.Onescangostandbehindonelineandthetwo-foursbehindtheother.

3. The“ones”areperch.Theyrequiresheltertohidfromlargerfish,theyneedspacetoavoidstunting,andtheyneedfoodtoeat.Theperchneedto“find”theselimitingfactors.Whenthepercharelookingforfoodtheyplacebothhandsontheirstomachs.Whentheyarelookingforspacetheyspreadbotharmsouttotheirsidesandwhentheyarelookingforsheltertheyplacetheirhandsovertheirheadlikeahouse.Youcantellyourperchtochooseoneofthefactors

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thattheyarelookingforandkeepitintheirheads,warnthemthatoncetheychoosetheycannotchangeituntilthenextround.

4. Thetwos,threes,andfoursaretheresources(food,shelter,space).Explainthesamerulesyoudidtotheperchtotheresources.Theygettochoosetobeoneresourcesforeachroundbutmuststicktotheonetheychoseuntiltheroundiscompletedjustliketheperch.Tellthemtochooseintheirheadwhichonetheywanttobe.

5. Theroundbeginswhenstudentsarelinedupbehindtheirrespectedlines(perchononesideresourcesontheother)withtheirbackstooneanother.Onthecountofthreestudentsturnaroundanddisplayeitherwhatresourcetheyarelookingfor(iftheyareaperch)orwhatresourcetheyare(iftheyarearesource).

6. Iftheperchseestheresourcetheyarelookingfortheyrunacrosstotheotherside,stilldisplayingwhethertheyarehungry(handsonstomach),lookingforshelter(handsabovehead),orlookingformorespace(armsopenwide).Whentheyfindtheresourcetheywerelookingfortheybringthembacktotheperchside.Theresourcesthatweretakenhavenowbecomeperch.Thisrepresentstheperch’sabilitytosurvive.Itisfirstcomefirstserve,soiftwoperchgoforthesame“shelter”thefirstonetoreachtheshelterwins.Ifaperchisunabletofindtheresourcetheyarelookingforthey“die”andinthenextroundtheybecomeoneoftheresources.

7. Duringthefirstround,alloftheperchshouldbeabletofindtheresourcetheyarelookingfor,butasthenumberofperchincreasesodoesthecompetitionforresources.Tobeginthenextround,askallofthestudentstoturntheirbackstoeachotherandchooseanotherresourcetoeitherlookforortobe.Thencounttothreeagain.

8. Youcandoasmanyorasfewroundsasyoulike,aftertheyhavefinishedplayingyoucanaskthemabouttheinteractionbetweenthenumberofperchandtheresources.Asthenumberoffishgoesupthenumberofresourcesgodownbutatacertainpointwhentherearenotenoughresourcesthefishbegintodieoffandtheresourcerebound.Ifyoulikegraphsyoucanalsomakeasimplegraphshowingtheinteractionbetweenthetwo.

Thisactivityismodifiedfrom“OhDeer”fromProjectWild(2017)

Bonusactivity:Guesswho:Saskatchewanfishedition

Purpose:togetstudentsfamiliarizedwithfishthatliveinSaskatchewan.

Materials:

-PrintoutimagesoffishlivinginSaskatchewanwiththeirspeciesnameonit.

-Fishguidebooks,SaskatchewanAngler’sguide,orpostersforreference(optional)

Background:Thereareover60distinctfishspeciesinSaskatchewan.Allspecieshavetheirowncharacteristicsincludingcolour,shape,mouthshape,finshapeetc.Inthisactivitystudentswillgetthechancetogettoknownthesecharacteristicsandfishbetter.

Activity:PrintoffapictureofafishfromSaskatchewanforeachstudent.Tomakethisactivityeasieryoucanputthenameofthefishonthepicturetoo.Eachstudenthasapicture(thattheyhaven’tseen)

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tapedontotheirback.Itisokayifyouwanttosticktothemainfishspeciesandoverlaphavingmorethanonestudentwiththesamefish.Onceallofthestudentshavetheirphotoontheirbacktheyaskotherstudentsquestionsaboutthecharacteristicsoftheirfish.Thesequestionsshouldbeyesornoanswerquestions.Eg.Doesmyfishhaveaspinydorsalfin?Ismyfishgreen?Doesmyfishhaveteeth?Oncethestudentthinkstheyhaveittheycanguesswhattheirfishis,iftheyarewrongtheyshouldtakeabreakfromaskingquestionsandallowanotherstudenttoaskthemquestions.Theactivityisoverwheneveryonehasguessedwhattheirfish.Havingresourcesaroundwithpicturesareusefulespeciallyifthisisanintroductiontothefishthatliveintheprovince.