Slipper Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 I'm looking for suggestions on a side project. I have her science curriculum, but she is interested in doing reading and projects regarding 'fish'. I'm trying to expand this into viewing pond water under a microscope along with studying different types of fish. Any suggestions? She's not a science kid so I'm looking for easy and fun for 3rd grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 She can make her own ph indicator using red cabbage and test the pond water samples with the home made indicator. Dissection a fish that you intend to cook anyway might be fun for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilaclady Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 You can also take her to a market place to see different types of fish. We go to the Asian farmers market around here and my kids see live catfish, eel etc. it is nice to see the different ones too and you can buy some if they are smaller and dissect at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 Spam by Jim89832 reported. ETA: If there is a fish hatchery near enough, it might be fun visiting. We visited two salmon hatcheries while on a road trip and it was fun for my boys. http://www.dfg.ca.gov/caep/ http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/visitors/bonneville_hatchery_more.asp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 I have accidentally become the custodian of about a jillion tiny tadpoles. Want some? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 Well first locate a pond/river or lake nearby. Take nets, buckets, magnifying glasses etc and a large tupperware type container with a lid.. Go pond dipping. Examine what you have found. Now fill the container(with the lid) with the water. Add in the creatures you have found. Put on lid and transport home. Set up a temporary ecosystem to see them over a few days. Use the microscope slides that have the concave spaces on them to examine the water, plankton, algea etc. After a couple days return the samples back to the location you found them.To add to it, use the books from one small square (swamp and pond).For fish, see if there is a fish hatchery within driving distance that allows the public in to see what they do. See if your museum or nature center has a live fish exibit (both of ours do).You can even add fun crafts or projects, like fish prints, or dissecting fish, crawfish etcWe are getting a zoom microscope thing(you know those egg shaped microscopes that plug into your computer to make digital prints of what you are seeing with the microscope), but for our current study we don't have it.Right now on my front step in my mop bucket I have a thriving mini pond thanks to our most recent pond dipping excursion. We spent about 5 hours on the docks in the river in the provincial park here on Saturday. The kids caught baby fish(not minnows, actual babies, looks like sticklebacks and lake trout), shrimp, a water tick, about 3 types of water beetle, a couple snails, some little clam like critters I have never seen before, some little orange coloured things that we have not yet identified etc. I will see if I can take pictures later.We lucked out because it poured rain the night we did this, so the water (I only had about 1/3 of the bucket filled with pond water then did treated water(like you treat for aquariums) and initially it looked like the fish wouldn't survive, but that night it poured rain and it seemed to balance the water naturally and everything has been thriving since.Anyway, we have done pond dipping for years(since my teens were 4-5 years old), but this is the first time I have had them maintain a mini pond with specimens. ds has plans to put the microscope to use tomorrow since he isn't working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 here is a picture of my mop bucket pond. The black things around the edges are shrimp. The dirt on the bottom we scooped out of the river while we were dipping. http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a282/swellmomma/102_2877.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down_the_Rabbit_Hole Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 http://shiningdawnbooks.com/available-units/peaceful-ponds/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruthie in MS Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 http://shiningdawnbooks.com/available-units/peaceful-ponds/ I haven't used this particular unit but I love Nature Explorer series Shining Dawn Books Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 I have never seen those shining dawn books I don't think. What age do you think they are geared for? they look wonderful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down_the_Rabbit_Hole Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 I have never seen those shining dawn books I don't think. What age do you think they are geared for? they look wonderful. I have only used one so far, the Snow and Ice, and found it varied in age activities. I would say there is something in there for grades 1-6. I was quite pleased with the amount of activities they offered, more then enough. It got us to look at the snow/ice and start thinking why or how or what if...which will look different depending on the age of the child. I know my 16yr old enjoyed doing some work for snow and ice and did not find it too "babyish" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 That's awesome to know. I think my younger kids will love the topics, and the olders can jump in where they wish. THey have their own science load this year but my youngers have a fairly easy one so these will fit in nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruthie in MS Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 I have never seen those shining dawn books I don't think. What age do you think they are geared for? they look wonderful. It's a multi-age unit study centered around a particular nature topic. It covers all subjects and includes a fantastic book list and notebooking pages. She also has a Pinterest board dedicated to every unit. Currclick also sells Nature Explorers and has more sample pages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purduemeche Posted July 16, 2013 Share Posted July 16, 2013 This year we are using "Nature Connection" and "The Bumper Book of Nature." Both have fish units/ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted July 16, 2013 Share Posted July 16, 2013 Those e books look nice but I am not giving personal details to someone so I can look at a sample. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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