Salmon (Onocorhynchus tshawytscha)
Life Cycle and Habitat
David McCullough, Krista Fong, & Jennie Furrer
Fall 2000
OVERVIEW
For this lab exercise, students will have to answer a series of seven questions,
with each question addressing an aspect of the Salmon¹s life cycle and habitat. Four
questions will be provided at each of the seven stations set up in the lab, from which the
student will determine his or her own personal question by using their sense of smell. If
there are any students with smelling disorders they should be paired with another student
or shown which question is theirs at each station.
Salmon use their sense of smell to find their way back to their birthplace. They do
this so that they can spawn in the same location that they were born. This activity
requires students to use their sense of smell to find their way to specific questions at each
lab station.
AGE/GRADE LEVEL
This lab activity was developed for a ninth grade lab science class but can be
modified for any age group as it is suitable for elementary and middle school classes.
STATIONS/TOPICS
· Salmon life cycle
· Conservation
· Restoration
· Creek habitat characteristics
· Salmon anatomy and physiology
· Predator/Prey relationships
· Putah Creek characteristics
TERMS AND VOCABULARY
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
Egg
Sperm
Zygote
Fingerling
Alvein
Sediment
Riparian
Smolt
Fry
Smoltification
Andranomous
Dredging
Fish fins: adipose, caudal, dorsal, anal, pectoral, pelvic
Conservation
Preservation
Redd
PURPOSE
The purpose of this lab is to introduce the students to several aspects of the
salmon, not only as a member of the phylum chordata or a member of the animal
kingdom, but also as a major contributor to the ecosystem of the watersheds that it passes
through during its life.
In order to find the questions they must answer for this exercise the students will
pretend to be salmon and use their senses just like salmon do when they are swimming
back to fresh water from the ocean to spawn. The students will be traveling to stations
each time trying to identify their significant smell. Once they have found their smell they
will answer a question that is sitting near their smell container (photo camera film
container). By having the students answer questions, which may be hard or may be easy,
we want the students to understand that in order to get from place to place like salmon
must do to find their way home, there are difficulties along the way. The questions are
divided into seven categories (one category for each station). The seven categories are as
follows: salmon life cycle, conservation, preservation, creek habitat characteristics,
salmon anatomy and physiology, predator/prey relationships, and specific creek
characteristics of Putah Creek in Davis, California.
TIME REQUIRED
A single fifty-minute class period should provide enough time but can be
extended or shortened depending on circumstances.
ORGANIZATION/GROUPINGS
Divide the class into seven groups of four with a single group per table. Give the
students five minutes per station to answer and move to the next station. That means that
the students will really only have about four minutes to answer each question. Some
stations have a simple exercise or demonstration associated with the topic associated with
the station so there will be even less time in some cases to answer the questions. Make
sure that there is a bell or some sort of device that indicates the time when the groups
should shift to the next station. This allows the instructor more freedom to roam and
answer questions, as students will respond more quickly to a timed device as apposed to
their instructor¹s voice. Since there are only fourteen different questions and twenty-
eight total questions, two students will answer the same question at each station. This
provides them the opportunity to confer with their classmates and determine a suitable
answer.
These are the seven group topics. One topic will be at each lab station.
1. Salmon life cycle
2. Conservation
3. Restoration
4. Creek habitat characteristics
5. Salmon anatomy and physiology
6. Predator/Prey relationships
7. Putah Creek characteristics
MATERIALS
To make the process of using smell as easy as possible for the students, find
twenty-eight identical film containers, easily obtained in the camera department of your
local drug store. Punch several holes in the lid of each container, put at least one cotton
ball in each container and then pour several drops of lemon extract, vanilla extract,
nutmeg powder, and almond extract (these choices are arbitrary as any smell that is non-
allergenic serves the purpose fine). Use a small piece of Velcro on the bottom of each
film container in order to attach it to the associated question. The individual questions at
each station are to be typed in a size 14 font and laminated with contact paper or placed
in a plastic insert or Ziploc bag. The questions should be securely taped to the lab
benches with one question per chair.
EXTRA MATERIALS
Some stations have a short exercise or exhibit associated with the topic that require
additional materials:
1. Salmon life cycle
Water temperature chart on page 103 in Peter Moyle¹s book Fishes, an Enthusiast¹s
Guide, 4 calculators, formula for converting Celsius to Fahrenheit, laminated pictures of
each of phase of the life cycle.
2. Salmon anatomy and physiology
Vocabulary lists, picture of salmon with body parts numbered to match fill-in sheets.
5. Creek habitat characteristics
Clear plastic cups, at least one per lab station
Container of soil, representing sediment
1 Package frozen peas, representing salmon eggs
Enough water to cover peas and gravel in cup 3/4 full
1 package gravel
6. Predator/Prey relationships
Laminated poster with pictures of creek animals
Washable marker
Wet sponge to wipe poster with after each table
7. Putah Creek characteristics
Photos of the creek in plastic covers
PROCEDURE
Set up one station per bench for seven lab benches with four stools at each bench
(this configuration which was developed for a class of twenty-eight can be altered to suit
the class¹ needs). Place one laminated question in front of each stool and secure it to the
bench with tape. Attach a single film container to each laminated question using Velcro.
Make absolutely sure that you are using four different smells at each station. Have each
student smell the container in front of them and inform them that this is their smell and
that they will be using it to identify their question at each of the following stations as they
move from bench to bench. Make sure that they know that it is by way of smell that
salmon move upstream to find the place in which they should spawn. Each student
should only have to write one or two sentences per question. Some of the questions have
exact quantitative answers. However, there is really no exact answer for other questions
since this lab is supposed to encourage the students to think as freely and creatively as
possible within the constructs of the information presented.
A packet containing a page devoted to the salmon life cycle and an additional
seven pages for all fourteen questions will be given to each student. The life cycle will
be covered at the beginning of class using an overhead so each student can fill in the
appropriate stage names on first page of their packet. The packet will also include all
fourteen questions, of which the individual student will answer only seven. This means
that each question will be answered a total of fourteen times. Make sure that each student
knows that they are only answering a total of seven questions and that the additional
seven questions on their packet are for another two students at their table.
Some stations may have a short demonstration or exhibit that the students need to
participate in before they answer their questions. The following is an overview of the
individual procedures that may be necessary at each station.
SALMON LIFE CYCLE
At this station the students will use a chart that displays the water temperatures
needed during each phase of the salmon life cycle. The students will use the chart, the
formula for converting Celsius to Fahrenheit, and a calculator to answer the questions. If
they finish early, they can put the laminated pieces of the life cycle in order without using
their notes.
The water temperature chart, the formula, calculators, and pieces of the life cycle
should be put on the table prior to the arrival of the students in the classroom. Everything
should be laminated and taped to the desk.
CONSERVATION
No additional setup required besides attaching the questions and film containers to the lab
benches.
RESTORATION
No additional setup required besides attaching the questions and film containers to the lab
benches.
CREEK HABITAT CHARACTERISTICS
1. Place marbles, representing salmon eggs, at the bottom of the plastic container.
2. Fill plastic container about halfway full of water
3. Add diatomaceous earth to water in the container, representing sediment in the creek
water. Be sure to have enough sediment in the water to sparsely cover the marbles.
4. Leave container in center of lab table for students to use in answering their questions.
5. Make sure students know that they are welcome to manipulate the container and it¹s
contents in order to simulate the movement of water in the creek, and the effect that this
water movement will have on the sediment that¹s in the water.
SALMON ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY
The student will have a list of vocabulary words, and a diagram of a salmon with lines
pointing to certain parts of the body, laminated and taped to the lab section table. Using
the vocabulary words and the salmon picture the student will either answer a fill in
question or they will label the parts of the salmon.
PREDETOR/PREY RELATIONSHIPS
1. Place laminated pictures and yarn on lab table.
2. The paper with the definition of mapping and the directions for the mapping activity
should be left on the table with the mapping pieces.
3. Note that for this activity, the students will work together as a table to complete their
own environmental web, but answer their question in partners.
PUTAH CREEK CHARACTERISTICS
No additional setup required besides attaching the questions and film containers to the lab
benches
RESOURCES
Fish, An Enthusiast’s Guide by Peter Moyle, 1993
The Magnificent Journey A Publication of the Bonneville Power Administration
Journey of the Oncorhynchus A Publication of the Bonneville Power Administration
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Journey of the Kings, 26 minute video on the life cycle of salmon
The Life Cycle of Salmon, 1999 video, approx. 6 minutes, of life cycle
“The Salmon Page” online resource to salmon and related topics