|
Power outages, feeding issues and water parameters – oh my! There are many things to consider as we prepare for spring break. Just a few things to keep in mind:
Battery-powered backup air pumps – These can save the day in a power outage, when keeping oxygen saturation up is the most important thing. We recommend having two of these on your tank.
Outage notifications – Many schools have alarms or monitoring systems for when the power goes out. Be on the list to get notified! Building maintenance staff or custodians are the first to know. Make sure someone has you in mind and texts you when the power goes out. Ring/Nest cameras also have power outage notifications if you use these to view your tank.
Keeping the tank cold – Floating gallon bags of ice is a great way to keep the temperature down if the power goes out. Some people use frozen water jugs. Lower temperatures hold more oxygen, so that is a good thing to keep in mind. You can also lower the water level to just above the pump intake so you have less water to cool.
Spring break feeding – If you haven't tested out an automatic feeder, now is your chance. Use it over a container for a few days to measure the feed amount and adjust. Then you can use it on your tank over break. Alternatively, you can train a custodian or other teacher to feed while you are away. Be sure they monitor your water parameters and don't overfeed. Underfeeding can ensure your water parameters don't go haywire while you are gone.
Sponge filters – Now is the time to add an additional sponge filter to your tank. All tanks should have two sponge filters in them. This provides a great amount of surface area for beneficial bacteria and will help buffer your water parameters as your fish become 5-inch pooping machines! It is an easy $20 addition that has no maintenance costs.
Our revised Teacher Guide has a whole section on planning release day stations. Have you checked it out?
Pages 36-41 of the revised guide tell you all you need to know about planning your salmon release, and give great ides for stations that you could have your students rotate through. It even outlines community partners you could reach out to for support.
The opportunities are endless for making this a memorable and educational day for your students!
Have the SIC coordinator come to your release day
You can apply for a handful of release day visits chosen by lottery. The SIC coordinator, Tracy Page, will be fitting in as many release days as possible. Fill out and submit the form by April 1 to be considered.
Tracy can shadow your event, act as a guest speaker, run a station, etc. Don't miss this great opportunity.
Release site map
We have a Google map of SIC release sites started, and we need you to help us populate it. You can drop a pin and add details like parking, bathrooms, space, how many people can it accommodate, what types of activities can you do, etc. Check it out!
Find great video content to use in your classrooms! Our YouTube playlist has over 80 videos and counting – everything from full-class presentations on the history of salmon to quick videos describing salmon deformities or feeding.
Bookmark our SIC YouTube playlist today.
Check out our great teacher professional development opportunities going on this summer. Academy of Natural Resources is summer camp for teachers!
Three tracts are available during ANR Classic, held in mid-July at the RAM Center on Higgins Lake in Roscommon. Then we have ANR North, held at the Ford Center in the western Upper Peninsula at the beginning of August.
Find more information at Michigan.gov/ANR.
Salmon in the Classroom teachers realize quickly that the health of their salmon depends on the quality of their tank’s water, and many of you know that this offers a great opportunity to teach about water quality in our local rivers and streams. Did you know that the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy has resources to support educators that can complement your Salmon in the Classroom projects? EGLE (previously named the Department of Environmental Quality, or DEQ) is a sister agency to DNR, dedicated to the protection of Michigan’s environment and public health through the management of air, land, water and energy resources.
EGLE collects a lot of data on Michigan’s environment, which can be downloaded and viewed on the Maps and Data section of its website. Many of these resources, such as the Biological Monitoring of Michigan’s Rivers and Streams story map, are directly relevant to your salmon’s life cycles. In addition, EGLE Classroom is the department’s hub for educator resources, including the Michigan Environmental Education Curriculum Support units.
EGLE Classroom is a relatively new resource, and program staffers want to hear from educators like you about additional resources that should be added. Check out the site to find resources to support your teaching this spring, and please provide feedback on what you’d like to see offered in the future in this five-minute survey.
Earth Day
EGLE Classroom will host a 45-minute student-focused Earth Day webinar April 14 at 1 p.m. Students will get to hear directly from EGLE staff about what is happening at the state, community and individual levels to address climate change in Michigan and what they, as young people, can do to help.
This webinar is best suited for grades 4-12. Learn more, register and find pre/post-webinar teaching resources at the EGLE Classroom website.
|
|
