Michigan’s Salmon In the Classroom Program
Want salmon in your classroom? Apply by April 15
 Reading, writing and … raising salmon? For some 30,000 students across Michigan, definitely! Their schools are participating this year in the DNR’s Salmon in the Classroom program, a unique, hands-on opportunity to watch salmon eggs hatch and move through several life stages, while also monitoring their aquarium habitat, and eventually taking the fish to local watersheds for 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. “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,” Page said. “It’s also great exposure to possible career pathways in natural resources.” If you know an educator (third-grade classrooms and older) who might be interested in the next cycle, which starts in fall 2020, the application deadline is April 15. 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 coming years. The program thrives with support from sportsmen’s groups, community foundations and other partners, plus thorough teacher training and comprehensive curriculum and classroom activity ideas. Questions? Contact Tracy Page at 517-284-6033 or visit Michigan.gov/SIC for program details and a brief informational video. |