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The children have received between 8 and 12 smallmouth bass in a class aquarium. They also have a tank full of feeder fish, which are usually minnows. Much can be learn about the bass and the other fish by direct observation. Other information can be researched.
Objective:
- Students will obtain information about an organism by direct observation.
- Students will add to their knowledge by using secondary sources.
The children will need to make a small booklet for bass and fish observation. They will need to make drawings and record observations. In the booklet they should try record basic body parts, i.e. a drawing labeled with invented words, if need be. They should record particular behaviors that they see, groupings of the bass, and locations that they seem to settle. They may see interactions between bass and other bass, or bass and the prey. They may be able to record how they feed, and when. They can record the length and weight.
After they have observed directly, they may research the habits of bass on the Internet or other sources. Often times the children have observed behaviors that they read about in text, and they see that their observations are just as valuable and accurate as the author's.