Experience 3: Fish Talk

Topic: Youth will learn about the different parts of fish by building their own.

Time: This lesson should take approximately 45-60 minutes to complete.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this activity, youth should be able to:

Describe different parts of fish.
Define why each part is necessary for the fish to function.
Talk about the common fish found in Maine rivers.
Describe the process of respectful handling of animals.

Background Information for Facilitator

In this experience, youth will be learning about fish. They will learn the structure and functions of different parts of fish by making them out of clay. Some key structures to think about are gills, eyes, scales, and fins. Some questions to consider when working with youth: How do gills work? Why do fish have eyes in certain locations (not all have eyes in the same place on their body)? What are scales used for? During this experience, it is important to remind students about the respectful handling of animals when they are in nature. Also, remind youth that fish, depending on your perspective, could be seen as more significant. Fish could be the main source of food for some communities compared to others. For some youth, this may be the first time that they are introduced to fish in Maine and they may have a hard time coming up with different species. It would be helpful to have the Maine wildlife website (Species Information: Fisheries: Fish & Wildlife: Maine Dept of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife) available to introduce new species to youth. Some species to highlight would be Salmon and Alewives.

Materials

multi-colored clay
sheets of paper
scissors
popsicle sticks
tissue paper
rubber bands
copies of the fish diagram

Vocabulary

Scales – Helps to protect from predators and parasites and also reduces friction with the water
Eyes – Used for sight
Nostrils – Used for detecting odors for the presence of food in the water
Mouth – Taking in food and water
Gill – The organ used to get oxygen from water
Dorsal Fins – Used for quick turns and stability
Caudal fin – Used to move forward and steer
Pectoral fin – Side-to-side direction and speed
Pelvic fin – Used for balance
Lateral line – Used to feel low vibrations in the water

Methods

Part 1: Introduction

Start by asking the students “If you could be a fish what kind of fish would you be and why?” Have one youth start with a ball and share their answer to the questions. After they are done sharing they should pass the ball to the next youth to share their answer.
- Optional additional questions:
  - Where do you live?
  - Why do you live there and not the ocean?
  - (Be prepared for lengthy answers)
Explain to youth that today we’re going to be discovering different parts of a fish. Before they start, engage youth with thinking about what they already know about fish:
- I want to know what you think of when you think of fish.
- Has anyone ever had a pet fish?
- Does anyone like to go fishing?
- Does anyone have a friend or family member who fishes for their livelihood?
- How do our perspectives change the way we view fish?
After engaging them with these questions, have youth brainstorm different species of fish that are found in Maine. This can be done in groups or individually.
After the youth have talked about the species they know, show them some of the fish that are on the Species Information: Fisheries: Fish & Wildlife: Maine Dept of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife website, giving them a chance to see the different types of fish we have here in Maine.

Part 2

Now that students are thinking about fish, have them discuss the different parts of a fish with a visual by handing out the fish diagram to each student. This is a good time to have them try and sketch fish and their parts before doing the activity.
- Optional additional question: Do you recognize any of these parts of a fish? (Reference this visual.)
Start some discussion about what features fish have that humans don’t and why. This can be done by simply asking the youth what’s the difference between fish and humans. Trying to get them to note things like gills and fins. The goal is to get them thinking about common fish parts and this can be helpful to students who are not familiar with fish.
After discussing common fish parts, the facilitator should disperse materials to youth to build their own fish models. Mention to the youth that they are encouraged to have as much freedom as possible when they go to construct their fish.
As they are working, walk around asking each student why they added what they did, preparing them to share with the whole class at the end of the activity.
After about 15-20 minutes of crafting, have the students start to share their fish and describe the different features. Here are some possible questions to have the students think about when reflecting on their fish:
- How did they feel constructing their fish?
- How did they decide what to do?
- Which parts or features of fish stand out to them and why?
As students bring up each part, have them try to describe what the part is used for. For example, if they say gills, ask the youth why the gills are important.
After spending some time having the youth describe their fish, give them a chance to continue working on their model.
Once they have completed their fish ask them what changes they might have made and why?
After model construction is complete, mention some parts of the fish that did not get mentioned.
Have the students try to guess what the functions of each part are and then explain what they are for.

Part 3: Reflection

Have the youth reflect by answering the following questions:
- “What did we learn about fish that we didn’t know before?”
- “What are some questions that we still have about fish?”

Supplement to Experience #3:

Visit the English Study Online website to download the Visual Dictionary–Parts of a Fish graphic.