Cover Image: Steelhead Trout eggs in a classroom tank
Pasadena may not be the first place people associate with river habitats, but Mary Ann Kelly of Blair High School is helping students see Southern California’s ecosystems in a new way. Made possible through a Pasadena Educational Foundation Teacher Grant, her project, Bringing Steelhead Trout into the Classroom, is designed to help students engage more closely with the river ecosystems of Southern California.
Bringing Steelhead Trout into the Classroom is a project where students raise steelhead trout in the classroom from egg to small fry (the correct term for trout at this early life stage), before they are released into the ecosystem. The eggs are provided by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, which also supports the release of the trout at the end of the project. Once the eggs were delivered, students were responsible for helping to raise and care for the trout. In addition to feeding them, students monitored nitrate and nitrite levels in the water and recorded the growth rates of the fish. During this multi-month period, students also learned about the ecosystems steelhead trout originate from, researching local California environments, native species, and the impact humans have on rivers and land.
“As students learned about biotic and abiotic factors, trophic pyramids, and endangered species, the trout were the classroom example that students would build off of when doing their own research. When we discussed human impact on natural systems, students had a greater understanding and empathy with other native species because of their interactions with the trout.”
— Mary Kelly, Blair High School
The project became an opportunity to model adaptability in the learning process. With the Eaton Fire closing all PUSD campuses at the time, Kelly experienced delays in preparing the tanks for the fish’s arrival, which shortened the time available to introduce the project. Kelly also adjusted her spring semester lesson plans, condensing some subject areas. Although she wished she could have gone more in depth with the ecology of the San Gabriel River ecosystem, Kelly was encouraged by the level of student engagement the project generated.
Students in Kelly’s class quickly became invested in raising the trout. Many arrived early or stayed after school to check on them. Students who previously had difficulty engaging with their coursework were eager to help care for the fish and used the project as a way to better understand biology concepts. Students had the opportunity to eagerly share the project with family and friends at Blair High School’s Science Night.
“On the day the fry were released, I had 10 students come early on a Sunday to the Santa Fe Dam with parents or friends to help release them. Students celebrated the release of each fry by naming them as they slowly lowered them into the water. The next school day, students were already asking me if I was going to do this again next year.”
Kelly has already begun preparing to repeat the trout-raising project for future classes. Since the tanks have already been approved by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, they can be reused in future years, extending the impact of the original Teacher Grant. Kelly also plans to support teachers at Willard and Altadena Elementary Schools who are interested in incorporating the program into their classrooms.
