Students take measurements and record data about air and water temperature, the thickness of the ice in winter, fishing locations, time of day, number of hours fished, barometric pressure, and species of fish. Students write thank you letters to volunteers, record statistics, and measurements in fishing journals. They write descriptive paragraphs, draw sketches of fish caught, and list information and skills learned. They predict or imagine how they would fish differently if their survival depended on success, and compare their experiences with those of characters in novels we have read. Fish hatchery visits demonstrate how fish are managed and illustrate the differences in habitats and various stages of development, as well as providing role models for jobs.
Students write math problems about fish and fishing.
Some of their work is published in the Montana Angling Youth Newsletter. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the project is on-going and authentic with each activity. Fishing Journals are used to assess instructional goals. As our students mature, much of what they have learned becomes the basis of their values and ideas which are reflected when they react to and shape the decisions in our society concerning many issues, including drug use, conservation, and the future of our environment. Use of Funds Funds for the pilot program came from the Montana FWP, and fishing clubs in our county.