About this event:

Today we studied the parts and characteristics of fish. We discussed how fish breathe with gills and that instead of taking oxygen from air, they take it from the water, that water is made of oxygen and hydrogen. We also looked at the parts of fish, focusing on their fins. We have a basket of sea animals that we sorted into invertebrates, fish, birds, reptiles and mammals. The students know that whales and dolphins are mammals, not fish. We shared a book entitled “Swimmy”.

I introduced a lesson on the Great Barrier Reef. We located it on our large world map and I spoke to them about the reports about how large parts of the reef are dying or dead. I shared a story I read this week in the New York TImes about a species of rodent, only found on a small island in the northern part of the reef, that is now extinct. Scientists believe that this recent extinction and the death of parts of the reef were caused by the effects of global warming. We talked about our responsibility to care for our home, the Earth and for all living creatures.