This is a great unit study to involve families -- frequently dads and grandpas also!  It can extend to learning about fish and habitats as well.  This study can incorporate science, history, language arts, and even math.

• Learn about fish that are local or native to your area -- or to areas where your family fishes.  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service   and the State Fish and Game Departments often have the information you will need.  You can find your state's agency at:  http://www.sso.org/iafwa/documents/state_and_provinces_website_links.htm

 
• Compare weights of fish.  Convert from ounces to grams and back again.  Weigh a fish before and after cleaning and determine the percentage of the fish that is used and not used.  Measure a fish from tip to tail.

• Learn about the times of year that fish are available for fishing.  Study the spawning habits of fish.

• Study conservation issues and find out about how water quality issues relate to fish and fishing.

•  Visit a local fishing stores and have your child interview the owner or other knowledgeable person there.

• If you know someone who has been fishing for a long time, have your child create interview questions and interview that person.

• Once the interviews have been  completed, have your child write up an essay or report on what she has learned.  It is a good idea to record the interviews so your child can focus on the interview itself and later listen and write down the important things that have been said.

•  Learn what the fish eat in their habitat, and then learn about the bait that is best for catching them.

• Learn about how to clean and prepare fish for eating.  Find and prepare recipes using fish.

• Draw and label a fish diagram and learn the anatomy of a fish.  Here are several sites that will help with this.

http://badmanstropicalfish.com/anatomy.html
 

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/fish/label/labelfish.shtml
 

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/paint/subjects/fish/printouts/Fishcoloring.shtml
 

http://www.nova.edu/~rlh/bass.html

• Have your child keep a fishing journal.  Record the weather, time, place, and what types of fish should be caught.  Have your child also write up how they felt at the time, what they saw in their surroundings, and compare it to other places they have fished.

• Look for fishing videos at the library and view them together.  Compare and contrast to what your child's experience is.  Evaluate for usefulness.  This skill of determining value of a resource is an important one for language arts.

• Include a history study.  This can be the history of a type of fishing, or of an area, or of fishing in general.  If you do a search for "fishing history" or "history of fishing" or also include your state name after history, you will get some sites to get you started.

 

 
 
 

 How did the Indians Fish?
 

 Importance of fish to Indians, and how they caught them
 

 History of fishing in Oregon
 

 California history of fishing with the Chinese

• Have your child prepare a presentation for the family.  Use a display board (available at office or school supply stores) and include the information they have gathered.

http://www.adventureangling.com/
Online fishing magazine -- has good articles and info on all aspects of fishing.
 

http://www.castaic.com/otherpages.htm
Extensive collection of fishing links.
 

http://www.yahooligans.com/Downloader/Pictures/School_Bell/Science___Nature/Animals/Marine_Life/Fish/
All sorts of links to learn about fish and fishing!

http://www.arttoday.com/PD-0025311/Main/tour/search_results
Some good fish clip art -- maybe to illustrate reports.

http://www.nwi.fws.gov/
National Wetlands Inventory Center -- information about the wetlands and deep water habitats.

http://www.fishingkids.com/
Site for kids to learn about fishing.

http://www.flyfishinghistory.com/contents.htm
History of flyfishing.

http://www.westernbass.com/links.html
Huge collection of fishing links on all aspects of fishing.
 

Thank you to Jennifer R. for this great idea!!!
 
 

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