Premise
The Classroom Aquarium Education Program (CAEP) is a community-based program which allows students to experience first hand the delicate balance needed for animals to survive in aquatic ecosystems. Using eggs provided by a hatchery, classes set-up and maintain an aquarium for the purpose of observing the development of fish from the eyed-egg stage until they become young fry. Students engage in course of study which supports the leaning experience across curriculum area. This program is run cooperatively by local schools, fishing clubs and government agencies.
Objectives
- Provide a positive learning program for classrooms on the value of aquatic ecosystems through the hatching and release of trout.
- Help students learn about their local watershed and how human activities affect the quality of water in local streams, lakes and the San Francisco Bay
- Provide support to teachers to enable them to participate in this learning experience.
- Fulfill the goals and objectives of each partner
Roles of Partners
The following parameters outline the roles partners play in development of a trout in the classroom program.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Coordinate program
- Provide copies of manuals and brochures
- Provide eggs
- Authorize release sites and provide copies of permits to qualified teachers
- Assist in locating possible funding sources for equipment
- Advertise training and provide resource materials
- Operate program under guidelines set out in CDFW Operations Manual
Sponsors (e.g. Fly-fishing Clubs)
- Assist at teacher training workshops
- Provide in-class support to teachers (setting up aquarium, maintaining eggs and fish, troubleshooting problems)
- Assist class with release of fry
- Provide financial assistance to school to cover cost of equipment or provide equipment on loan
- Pick up eggs from CDFW and deliver to schools
- Assist teacher in completing and returning the Permit form 772.
- Assist teacher in ensuring all stipulations of the Permit 772 are followed.
- Complete and return other required paperwork and forms provided by CDFW
Teacher
- Attend and participate in a training to become certified
- Apply for and follow limits of the permit form 772
- Provide classroom space for aquarium
- Ensure the eggs and fish are properly cared for and released according to their permit
- Return permit as stipulated
- Provide classroom activities related to habitat, fish and conservation to support the classroom activity of hatching the eggs
- Complete and return other required paperwork and forms provided by CDFW
Local Park or water district
- Complete and return other required paperwork and forms provided by CDFW
- Co-lead (with other partners) training sessions
- Provide naturalist to assist teachers as able
- Provide educational resources to teachers
- Host workshop
Coaches Resource Guide (PDF)