Water Wonders: Salmons Need Streams

The children have been very curious about the salmon in Musqueam Creek which has led us to learn more about the salmon's amazing journey. Today we researched spawning salmon and then the children represented what they learned in art.

I observed the children thoughtfully placing the eggs in protected spaces amongst the rocks at the bottoms of their streams. Bela recognized that some of the eggs would be eaten by animals. Some of the children thought whales and sharks would eat the eggs which led to two questions:

What animals live in streams?

What animals eat salmon eggs?

As Ryleigh was glueing a salmon to her picture she asked "What about the fry?" She had remembered that fry was the name of a stage in the salmon's life cycle. The children would like to learn more about the salmon life cycle and the names of the other stages.

We will research these questions next week. 

We'll also investigate what we can do to protect the salmon's habitat. 

Water Wonders: Follow the Creek to the River

There's nothing better in my opinion than spending time walking in nature and philosophizing about life with a bunch of 4 year olds! We followed the horse trail that follow along side Musqueam Creek all the way Fraser River - a two kilometer walk each way. The children literally RAN all the way there every cell in their body brimming with excitement and enthusiasm!

We stopped along the way and noticed many things . . .

signs of water erosion

What causes the foam?

Why is the water orange?

The creek goes this way!

After an hour of walking we finally made it to the river after following the creek all the way! There was a dry spot for a picnic right next to the river's edge. Michael felt too nervous to sit so close but we all enjoyed watching the boats go by and the cool breeze on our faces. The walk back was a little slower pace but there was no complaining, what a great time!

We made it!

Following the creek back to school.

Water Wonders: Where Did All the Salmon Go?

On one of our walks in the forest the children were keen to have me read the signs along the way. When we came to Musqueam creek there were signs informing of the salmon habitat.

"Where did all the salmon go?" wondered Ryleigh

Musqueam Creek is Vancouver’s last wild salmon stream supporting runs of wild Coho, Chum and Cutthroat Trout. It is estimated that at one time this system supported returns of more than 300 Coho per year. Today returns are much smaller hovering around 50 Coho per year.  

The children are curious about where the creek goes and where the salmon are and so we've begun to investigate the salmon life cycle and will be exploring the role salmon and the Fraser River play in the lives of the Musqueam people who live in our community. 

 

The children watched the story Sammy the Salmon Youtube 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvsSXhDjMmI  

and made salmon puppets, using only black and red like many of the drawings we researched beforehand. They used their puppets to dance the salmon dance. 

 

Water Wonders: Ways We Use Water

Before the children continued building their landscape model they brainstormed all the ways they could think of that people, animals, and plants use water.

Their ideas:

People: to drink, to make sandcastles with, to clean with, to swim in, to travel on

Animals: to drink, to live in

Plants: to drink

The children knew that animals, people, and plants all need water to survive.

Everyone had a job adding various elements to the landscape model and when faced with the challenge of how the animals and people would cross the river the children added a bridge, stepping stones and a log.

Adding sand at the beach

People walking to the beach

They've invited the other children to play with the landscape during play times. What a wonderful way for us to see their thinking in action as they play out the ways we use water!

Water Wonders: Rivers and Roads

On Monday I took the children into Pacific Spirit Park where we searched for evidence of water. They soon found a creek and a pipe that let the water flow under the park path and others that let the water flow under the road! We went bush whacking into the forest to follow the creek further.

"Where did all the salmon go?"

following the creek

Different Names for Pathways of Water
On Tuesday the children started an on-going project; to create a landscape. They painted the land and water, including rivers, streams, creeks, and brooks and the ocean. We made a list of ideas of things to add to the landscape to show how people and animals live in or near water and use water.

 A classic story "Mr Gumpy's Outing" by John Birmingham is a story of a man who lives by the river and goes for a boat ride. One by one the animals ask if they can come along and he says yes as long as they promise not to cause trouble. All goes well until havoc breaks lose and the boat tips into the river! The children love dramatizing this story!

Water Wonders: Ocean Animals

salty water

Yesterday as the children were telling me what they know about water it quickly became evident that the children know a lot of animals that live in the water. I decided to help them classify their knowledge by separating these animals by where they live; salt water or fresh water. Today we focused on salt water animals.

fresh water

First a taste test! Human, animals that live on land, plants and fresh water animals all need water that isn't salty. Ocean and sea animals needs salty water and there are only a few exceptions (salmon for example) that can live in both salty and fresh waters. After the taste test the children were all happy that they need fresh water and not salty!

The children used books to research different ocean animals and we watched a video too. We compared animals that live in warm oceans and animals that live in cold oceans. Many of the children shared stories of being to the aquarium or animals they saw at the beach. Ryleigh insisted she's never been to the beach (hmmmm I wonder) and everyone agreed it would be a great idea to take a field trip to the beach in the coming weeks.

They applied their learning by painting an ocean mural. They had the option to paint free hand or sue stencils - they chose both.