Objective:
The student will be able to name and show the geographic location of at least three different bodies of water by determining the native waters of the fish in the Aquademics™ tank, and also the native waters of many other species of fish
Materials Needed:
(*Note to the teacher: Be sure to ask your local pet store for the species names of all fish that you get for your Aquademics™ tank.)
Activity:
Have students look at a map (or globe) and answer the following questions:
1. Point out the continent where you live.
2. Point out the country where you live.
3. Point out the state where you live.
4. Name and point out at least two bodies of water near your state.
5. Name and point out at least two foreign countries.
Tell students that, just like people who come from different countries, fish come from different bodies of water all over the world. This lesson will help students identify some of those bodies of water.
Part One—To determine the original location of the fish in the Aquademics™ tank
1. Divide the students into small groups. Distribute Aquademics™ Geography Worksheet #1 and #2.
2. On the board, list the species of tropical fish in your classroom aquarium.
3. Give each group of students the name of one species in your Aquademics™ tank, have them write the species name on the worksheets and ask them to look up the “native waters” of that species in their fish reference materials.
4. Ask each group to find the fish’s native body of water on the map on a globe or atlas, then find it on the worksheets and color this body of water green.
5. Students are to make a list of the countries that touch the body of water on the worksheets. They can also identify the continent(s) that touch the fish’s body of water. Color these countries and continents yellow.
6. Ask them to write down the names of any rivers that flow into their body of water. Draw these rivers on the worksheets and color them blue.
7. Have students also note any large lakes located near their body of water. Draw these lakes on the worksheets and color them blue.
Part Two—To determine the native waters of other types of fish
1. Divide the students into small groups.
2. Ask each group to think of a species of fish (tropical or marine) that they would be interested in learning more about. Write this species in the appropriate space on Aquademics™ Geography Worksheet #2.
3. Ask students to look up the native waters of their chosen species in their fish reference materials.
4. Ask each group to find that body of water on a globe or atlas, then find it on Worksheet #2 and color the fish’s body of water green.
5. Students are to make a list of the countries that touch the fish’s body of water on their paper. They can also identify the continent(s) that touch the body of water. Color these countries and continents yellow on Worksheet #2.
6. Ask them to write down the names of any rivers that flow into their fish’s body of water. Draw these rivers on Worksheet #2 and color them blue.
7. Have students note any large lakes located near their fish’s body of water. Draw these lakes on Worksheet #2 and color them blue.
Result:
Students will sharpen their map discovery skills and also learn more about countries and bodies of water around the world.
