Trout in the Classroom - DEP

Environmental Protection


Education

Education Programs


Trout in the Classroom

The New York Trout in the Classroom (TIC) program is a conservation-oriented environmental education program for elementary, middle, and high school students. Participants spend the fall and winter raising trout from eggs to fingerlings in their classrooms. To ensure the survival of their trout, students closely monitor water temperature, water clarity, dissolved oxygen, ammonia levels and pH. As the program progresses, students learn to see connections between trout, water resources, the environment, and themselves.

Come spring, teachers plan a field trip to release the trout into the wild. Classes from New York City and the watershed gather at watershed streams after a school year filled with lessons about the source of their drinking water and the need to work together to protect water quality.

For more information about the program, including FAQs, troubleshooting tips, additional lesson plans and more, visit the Trout in the Classroom—New York webpage.

Register for the 2024–25 School Year

Download the TIC Startup Guide

Download the TIC New York State Manual

Curriculum Modules

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Trout Lifecycle

Download the Trout Life Cycle Presentation (ES, MS, HS)

Download Connecting the Trout Lifecycle (ES, MS, HS)

Download Moving through the Trout Life Cycle (ES, MS, HS)

Trout Anatomy and Adaptations

Download Adaptations of Trout around the World (ES)

Download the Trout Organ Puzzle (MS, HS)

Download the Internal Trout Anatomy Collage (ES)

Trout Environment and Stewardship

Download the Watershed Health and Management Presentation (MS, HS)

Download Creating a Public Service Announcement for Trout Protection (MS, HS)

Download Your Tank Is an Ecosystem! Lesson (ES, MS)

Download the Your Tank Is an Ecosystem! Presentation (ES, MS)

Download Climate Trouble for Trout in the Watershed (ES, MS, HS)

Trout Food Chain

Download Trout Are Made of Trees (ES)

Download the Trophic Levels Relay Race (ES, MS, HS)

Download Exploring Macroinvertebrates (MS, HS)

Download the Go Macroinvertebrate! Card Game (MS, HS)

Glossary and Standards

Download the NY TIC Glossary of Terms and Concepts

Download the Trout in the Classroom Standards