Activity 9: Salmon and Steelhead Life Stories Web Search

Overview
Background Information
Objectives
Time
Materials
Advance Preparation
Setting the Stage
Conducting the Activity
Wrap-Up
Enrichment
Assessment

Overview
In this activity, participants conduct an Internet investigation to learn about the natural history of local salmon and/or steelhead. They then write a story that describes the life of a salmon or steelhead from the local creek, including a description of each stage of its life cycle and what people can do to help salmon and steelhead. Participants will build on this information in the activities that follow as they design appropriate habitats for salmon eggs and plan for habitat monitoring.

 

Background Information
For information about the salmon and steelhead life cycle, see the Background Information in the Unit Overview and the links on the “Salmon and Steelhead Life Stories Web Search ” worksheet.

Objectives
Participants will: (1) conduct an Internet search to learn about the life cycle stages and migration patterns of local salmon and steelhead species, and (2) write a story that describes the life of one salmon or steelhead fish that hatches in the local creek, including what it looks like, what it needs, where it is on its journey, and any challenges it faces at each life cycle stage. They conclude the story by suggesting ways people can help salmon and steelhead.

Time
Activity: Four to five group sessions

Materials

* = Included in Adopt-A-Watershed Kit

Advance Preparation

  1. Plan your schedule so that each participant can spend two (or more) group sessions on the web search and another one or two group sessions writing the story.

  2. Arrange computer lab time as necessary.

  3. Collect two or more salmon life-cycle stories for participants to read as examples. Try to choose ones that are different in writing style and plot for students to compare.

  4. Read over the participant pages to familiarize yourself with the task.

  5. Make copies of: the “Salmon and Steelhead Life Cycle ” worksheet, the “Salmon and Steelhead Life Stories Web Search ” pages (if you want participants to have a hard copy), and the Rubric for Salmon and Steelhead Life Stories (if you will be using it).

  6. Invite your salmon and steelhead resource professional (see Resource Professionals under Unit Overview: Tips for Managing the Unit ) to join the group for the Wrap-Up to hear participants read their stories. Ask him or her to talk with participants about the specific life cycle and migration patterns of local salmon and/or steelhead. For example, he or she might explain whether there are different spawning runs during the year in your area, how long these fish typically spend in the ocean before heading back upstream, where they tend to end up in the Pacific Ocean, who is studying salmon and/or steelhead in your area, what they are trying to learn to restore salmon and/or steelhead populations, and so on.

  7. Post the map of California on the wall.

Setting the Stage

  1. Ask participants what a life cycle is and have them name some stages of the human life cycle (for example, fetus, newborn, infant, and so on). For a couple of the stages ask, “How is a person in this stage different from one in the stage before or after? What do people need at this stage to thrive? (For example, toothless infants need food that they can swallow without chewing.) Is it possible to go to the next stage of the life cycle without going through this stage?”

  2. Reminding participants of Activity 2: The Incredible Journey , ask them what life cycle stages salmon and steelhead go through in their migration (do not be concerned about accurate names at this point). Ask participants to name the stage(s) that might occur in the local creek and that occur in the ocean.

  3. Looking at a map of California, have participants trace the path that salmon and/or steelhead would need to go from your local creek to the ocean and then back again. Make a list of the bodies of water it would pass through on its journey.

  4. Explain to participants that they will do a web search to learn more about the life cycle of salmon and steelhead and what salmon and steelhead need at different times and places in their lives. Point out that this web search will help them determine whether the local creek is a good place for salmon and steelhead to live.

  5. Explain that as in the previous web search (Activity 7: Watershed Web Search ), they will look at a number of different web sites to find answers to questions about salmon and steelhead. For this activity, participants will use their notes to write a story about a salmon or steelhead that comes from your local creek. The story must include all the different stages of the salmon’s life cycle and include illustrations of the different stages. At the end they should suggest ways people might help their salmon or steelhead.

  6. Point out that the life stories are slightly different for each salmon and steelhead species. Whenever possible, participants should include in their stories the information that is specific to the native species in your area. Ask participants to name the species of salmon and/or steelhead that are native to your area (see Activity 5: Salmon and Steelhead Creek Walk ).

Conducting the Activity

  1. As a group, read over copies of the “Salmon and Steelhead Life Stories Web Search ” worksheet, or have participants look at them on their computers. Make sure they understand their task.

  2. (Optional) Give participants copies of the Rubric for Salmon and Steelhead Life Stories if you will be using it. Read over it together and clarify any questions they might have about the criteria.

  3. Get participants set up on the computers to do their web search. Give each participant a copy of the “Salmon and Steelhead Life Cycle” worksheet for writing notes.

  4. As participants work, circulate among them and help them focus on the information they need to answer the questions. Encourage them to answer the questions as completely as possible and to take notes in their own words.

  5. Many of the web sites have links to other sites with relevant information. As time allows, you may want to encourage participants to expand their search to explore related topics on salmon and steelhead life cycles and migration.

  6. When participants have finished answering the questions, have them read two or more stories about salmon and steelhead that you have collected (see Advance Preparation ).

  7. As a group compare the writing styles, character development, setting, plot, and literary devices used in the different stories. Ask:

    • How do the character’s qualities affect the plot?
    • What influence does the setting have on the problem and resolution?
    • What effect do literary devices (such as symbolism, imagery, and metaphor) have on the story?

  8. Have participants begin drafting their stories using paper and pencil or word processing software. You may need to help them print or download pictures of each life stage.

  9. Allow time for participants to create a first draft of their story and then to revise it into a final draft.

Wrap-Up

  1. Have participants read aloud their salmon or steelhead life stories to an audience including the group and your salmon and steelhead resource professional. Afterward, have the resource professional talk with participants about specific life cycle and migration patterns of the local salmon and/or steelhead (see Advance Preparation ).

  2. Have participants place their stories in their team portfolios.

  3. Have participants look at the KWLR chart. Have them think about the guiding question: How do people affect salmon and steelhead, and how do salmon and steelhead affect people? Ask whether there is anything they could add to or adjust on the chart given what they have learned about the salmon and steelhead life cycles.

Enrichment

  • Arrange for participants to share their stories with a group of younger children.

  • Challenge participants to create an imaginary animal species. They should think about what the species looks like, how it behaves, where it lives, and what it needs at each stage of its life. Have participants write a complete natural history of their imagined species.

  • Find out about state, federal, and international laws and treaties that protect migratory salmon and steelhead or other migratory species (see Laws Protecting Salmon and Steelhead under Resources: Information About Salmon and Steelhead ).

Assessment
Use the rubric provided to assess, or have participants self-assess, their stories.

Rubric for Salmon and Steelhead Life Stories

  Excellent Acceptable Unsatisfactory

 


Content

  • The story included all of the required content (description of salmon or steelhead at each stage, including pictures, needs, threats, and what people can to help).
  • The information was well organized and integrated well into the story.
  • The story included most of the required content.
  • The information was organized and was included as part of the story.
  • Some or all of the required content was missing.
  • The information was not organized or was not included as part of the story.

 


Use of Literary Devices

  • The story used several different literary devices such as conflict and resolution; metaphor; imagery; and symbolism.
  • The story showed a clear relationship between the setting and the conflict or problem.
  • The story clearly showed how the qualities of the character affected the plot and resolution of the story.
  • The story used one or two different literary devices.
  • The story showed a relationship between the setting and the conflict or problem.
  • The story showed how the qualities of the character affected the plot and resolution of the story.
  • The story did not use any literary devices.
  • The story did not show a relationship between the setting and the conflict or problem.
  • The story did not show how the qualities of the character affected the plot and resolution of the story.

Grammar/
Mechanics

 

  • No errors.
  • Contained only minor errors that did not interfere with understanding of the story.
  • Contained significant errors that interfered with understanding of the story.

Worksheet (click to download PDF)