Trout in the Classroom
Trout in the Classroom (TIC) is a nation-wide educational program that allows students and teachers to experience the life-cycle of a trout. TIC is tied to the standards for 4th and 5th grades, although it currently takes place in classrooms ranging from 3rd grade to high school throughout Nevada. Trout in the Classroom is designed to teach students about the science, art, recreation and other values of fish and aquatic life through classroom observation and hands-on activities. [NDOW]
In cooperation with the Nevada Department of Wildlife and other organizations, we support local teachers participating in the Nevada TIC program to help them ensure their students have a great egg-to-release experience. Our service area includes all of Douglas County and portions of adjacent Nevada counties. Educators in our service area who are interested in this program (or related activities) are encouraged to contact us at youth@hsfc.us to learn more about the program and our services.
We hope to extend our services into eastern Alpine County and northern Mono County in California in the near future. Educators in these areas are encouraged to contact us as well to see what we might be able to offer.
Our Trout in the Classroom services are free!
We thank organizations, such as the Carson Valley Chukar Club and the Sagebrush Chapter of Trout Unlimited, and our private donors for providing funds to sustain and grow this program.
Lesson Ideas
Our instructors can help you adapt published lesson plans to be more suitable for our locale and the trout and other species, native or not, found here. We can also help adapt the lessons to students in other grades.
Below are some Trout in the Classroom lesson ideas.
The Lahontan Cutthroat Trout
This lesson is all about the Lahontan cutthroat trout (LCT), the Nevada state fish... and only trout native to the Carson Valley. Students can learn:
interesting facts about the Lahontan cutthroat trout;
the natural history that allowed the Lahontan cutthroat Trout to evolve as a separate (sub)species of trout;
the importance of the Lahontan Cutthroat Trout to indigenous tribal people;
the impact American settlers have had upon Lahontan cutthroat trout populations over the last 150+ years; and
the ongoing habitat risks and how we might mitigate them.
This lesson can be combined with a visual learning exercise. Students can be provided with an outline of a trout and asked to color in the distinctive markings of the Lahontan cutthroat trout. Art project adapted from Trout Markings.
Materials: Presentation slides, trout outline, coloring pens.
Trout Food
In this lesson, students learn about the trout food chain. Each students is asked to identify something trout eat or something that eats trout. Students learn that animal predation is an important part of nature. Students learn about how trout and the animals that they eat protect themselves from being preyed upon. Aquatic insects are a staple of the trout's diet.
We can do a "match the hatch" exercise where students, working in small groups, will be asked to match artifical flies (or lures) to photographs of natural trout food, including aquadic and terreistral insects but also some of the more exotic items that trout eat.
Trout Feeding Behavior
Trout feeding behavior is discussed. We can do a "match the hatch" exercise here as well (see above).
Vivid Dancer Damselfly
In this lesson, students learn about the Vivid Dancer Damselfly, Nevada's state insect, inclucing some interesting facts. Photographs and artificial flies are used to show students demselflies in each stage of their life cycle.
This lesson can be combined with a visual learning exercise: mock fly tying of the Vivid Dancer Damselfly. Students will create their own imitation of a damselfly using craft materials.
Resources
Trout in the Classroom website by Trout Unlimited
Nevada Trout in the Classroom website by Nevada Department of Wildlife
California Classroom Aquarium Education Program by California Department of Fish and Wildlife Trout