The Salmon Challenge : Adapted for water quality

1. The Salmon Challenge: Adapted for water quality Case synopsis On a family trip to Alaska, Raja and Malli, students from Singapore, visit a national park at a river. Salmon are actively swimming and jumping upstream in the large fish ladder. A conversation with the park naturalist reveals that salmon migrate upstream to reproduce, that they find their way back to the hatching ground by smell, and that it is hazardous for the new hatchlings to make their way back to the sea, especially when streams are not in good condition. Learning Objectives including 21st Century Competencies for your one investigation Global awareness and cross cultural skills, Information and communication skills, Responsible decision making. Science objectives • Some Other Useful Resources • Life Cycle of Salmon http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqmGSexPaEk • The WHAT IF model of watershed health and fish communitieshttp://www.epa.gov/ceampubl/fchain/whatif/index.html • Investigation: • Students will eplore the “Salmon Challenge” simulation, collecting data on outcomes of their decisions • They will plot the growth data. • Potential Student Products • Table, graph, One page paper on keeping streams safe for fish. • http://your.kingcounty.gov/dnrp/multimedia/water-and-land/salmon-challenge/ • Investigation Ideas • Chemisty of water and what the salmon “smell” • Guppy aquarium to watch fish life cycle/ development/ behaviour • Use fresh water invertebrates to test effects of fertilizer, etc. on water quality • Do water quality sampling in local streams • Creating a balanced diet with salmon • Role of salmon for North West Natives • Compare Singapore River with Yukon River http://www.dfg.ca.gov/fish/Hatcheries/Ni bus/images/Nimbus-ladder.jpg http://humandtv.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/haida-salmon.21194911_std.jpg