Small Fry to Go - Week #5; A Teacher's Perspective; "Fish, Fins, & Flies, Oh My!"

This past week the students at Temecula Preparatory School (TPS) were extremely energized as they gawked at the tiny trout in the outdoor classroom or what we call the “LABitat.” Not only were they excited to see that the fish were growing in size, but one object that caught their eye was a little fly that was dead in the water. Students were clamoring with excitement as the fish were beginning to experiment with eating their natural food source. More simply put by one first grade girl, “Oh my goodness! The fish are eating the fly!”

After all the students had the opportunity to view this phenomenon we sat around the lunch tables outside to have a round table discussion. I started by asking my students what they observed about how the fish have changed. They noticed, along with Ms. Metsgar’s class, that the fish were swimming faster.

When we finally got to the topic of the fish eating the fly, we discussed whether fish were herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores. The students increased their vocabulary skills at this time, and had a great time dialoguing about why they thought the fish were eating the fly. The students are having so much fun with the Small Fry to Go project and learning an abundance of information.

One aspect of the Small Fry to Go project that I have appreciated is the community involvement. From administration caring for the fish over the weekends, to parents manning the LABitat during recesses and lunches, many hands have taken part in the raising of the rainbow trout.

This past week Mrs. Simpson, a long-time parent at TPS, came to help during our student’s lunch breaks. Ms. Metsgar told me that Mrs. Simpson was shining a flashlight on the fish so the students could see the fins on the fish. The fins are almost transparent, but with the help of the flash light the students could see the fins on the top, sides, and bottom of the fish. Parental involvement in student learning is a major goal of TPS, and Small Fry to Go is implementing this goal.

We are one week closer to releasing our fish, and our students are one week more engaged and excited about learning because of this STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) program.

Article written by Ms. Courtney Montoya, 1st Grade Teacher, Temecula Preparatory School

We would like to thank our donors - Littlefield Physical Therapy, Riverside County Board of Supervisors, and LEGO Children's Fund.