Fishing for answers
Grades: 7-8
Subjects:
What are the most significant impacts of marine resource depletion? Start answering this question with this playlist of media, interactive experiences, and activities from Ocean School's Protecting Populations module.
Gone fishing
Video | 4 minutes
Description: Holly & Boris hit the water, crewing a small vessel while it fishes for cod near Fogo Island, Newfoundland. In the process, they’re also fishing for clues: what happened to decimate cod’s mighty numbers, what impact did this have on every person in Newfoundland, and what is the “trophic cascade” that’s rescued their entire way of life?
Activity | 20 min
Description: Students share what they’ve learned from George and Michael Ford on an infographic poster.
Materials:
Activity (PowerPoint)
C.S.I Cod Stock Investigation
Video | 4.5 minutes
Description: Holly dissects two cod, searching for a deeper understanding of the species. At a traditional fishing shack, Holly fillets a cod for eating. At the Marine Institute in St. John’s, Holly helps conduct a scientific “fish autopsy,” discovering secrets about the cod’s eggs, ears and more…
Activity | 20-40 min
Description: Students become detectives and create a case file which presents everything you can learn about a cod when you dissect it.
Materials:
Activity (PowerPoint)
Anatomy of a cod
Interactive | 20 minutes
Description: Sharpen your virtual knives! During this interactive experience, students will dissect a cod, discovering its deeper anatomy and the secrets of its health.
Activity | 120 min
Description: Students are given a data set from a cod dissection and are led through a variety of data analysis tasks which explore the relationship between a fish’s health, reproduction and sustainability.
Materials:
Sample data sheet (PDF)
Activity (PowerPoint)
Net gains
Video | 4.5 minutes
Description: Holly & Boris explore the pros and cons of different catching methods for cod: trawl nets, gill nets, cod pots and hand-lines. Their investigation takes them to the biggest flume tank on Earth, then onto the open seas to hand-line a few cod of their own.
Activity | 40 min
Description: Students are presented with three types of gear and two fishermen who are looking to buy new gear for their fishing business in Fogo. Students must decide which gear is best suited to each given their experience, savings, boat, fishing philosophy and crew.
Materials:
Activity (PowerPoint)
360 fishing
360 video | 2 minutes
Description: Take to the sea with lifetime fisherman Michael Ford, off the coast of Fogo Island in Newfoundland. Train your eyes above or below the waters—nowhere is off-limits to you while Michael fishes for cod!
Activity | 30-45 min
Description: Students are asked to reflect on the skills necessary to be a fisher, and use a provided template to create a “Now hiring” poster.
Materials:
Activity (PowerPoint)
Netukulimk
Video | 2 minutes
Description: This animation is a history of cod, as inspired by Mi’kmaw storytelling tradition. Little Fish inherits the history of her species from the tales of her Grandmother: from creation, through thousands of years of “Netukulimk” (harmony with nature), to modern industrial devastation. As Little Fish becomes a Grandmother herself, she continues this oral tradition with a renewed hope for the future… and for the return of “Netukulimk”.
Activity | 60-120 min
Description: In a sharing and knowledge circle, the students discuss the importance of Netukulimk and how to live in harmony with the environment. Students are then invited to create a fort and/or survival plan of what they would need to survive. They can only take from the earth and land and must consider factors like season, weather and local habitat and ecosystem.
We strongly encourage educators to take their students outside during this activity.
Materials:
Activity (PowerPoint)