Something Fishy is Happening in Michigan Classrooms

A unique education program coordinated by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is going to be available again in 2020.

'Salmon in the Classroom' will be available in the fall for classrooms across the state. It gives students an opportunity to watch the salmon eggs hatch and move through several life stages, while also monitoring their aquarium habitat, and eventually taking the fish to local watersheds for a spring release.

Tracy Page, who coordinates Salmon in the Classroom for the DNR, said the department is gratified that the program has grown from a handful of classrooms in 1997 to more than 280 this year and has involved some 30,000 students in its time. It involves students at the 3rd-grade level and higher.

"This program is all about 'real science' and gives teachers a powerful tool for helping kids understand the connections between their everyday actions and the effects on our natural world. It's also great exposure to possible career pathways in natural resources." - Tracy Page

If you know an educator who might be interested in the next cycle, which starts in fall 2020, the application deadline is April 15. CLICK HERE for more information or to access online applications.

Page said that Salmon in the Classroom has been popular at schools in the metro Detroit and Grand Rapids areas, and she looks forward to welcoming even more schools in the coming years. The program is funded and operated through support from sportsmen’s groups, community foundations, and other partners, plus thorough teacher training and comprehensive curriculum and classroom activity ideas.