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HARRISON TOWNSHIP/ROSEVILLE — About 75 salmon were released to their new home in Lake St. Clair on May 2 by the three fifth grade classes from Green Elementary School in Roseville Community Schools.
The students released the fish at Lake St. Clair Metropark in Harrison Township. As waves crashed against the shore in the day sail area, students used plastic cups to release the fish into the water. Some got their feet wet during the process. While the air was a bit cool, the sun was peeking out.
This school year, students in Christopher Kawiecki’s class raised the salmon after being selected as one of 40 recipients of the Salmon in the Classroom grant through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The students took care of Chinook salmon in an aquarium inside the classroom. The students were responsible for caring for the fish, watching them hatch, feeding them and testing the water quality. They began with 150 salmon eggs, and half of them survived. The fish are expected to grow to 2 feet in length.
“I want to teach them the life cycle of Michigan species,” Kawiecki said. “This is something you can find right in your own backyard.”
During the different lessons in the classroom, students did book work that the DNR provided. They learned about the life cycle of fish, and the lessons incorporated mathematics, social studies, English and science. The students had to determine the pH balance, temperature, alkalinity and more of the water.
Kawiecki charted the water quality and gave regular reports to the state’s DNR. Chassidy Hobbs was among the students who helped take care of the fish in class.
“You had to feed the fish and change the water,” Hobbs said. “We got to look at them and observe them to make sure they weren’t upside down.”
There was plenty of excitement among the students as the fish swam away on release day.
Noah Hussey, a student in Jake Houghton’s class, had to guide one of the fish to make sure it got into the water.
“I felt the fish,” Hussey said. “It’s slimy and slippery. I got used to it.”
Hussey has fished before, catching bluegill, sunfish and channel catfish. He finds fishing relaxing.
After releasing the fish, the students and teachers headed over to the metropark’s nature center where they got a look at turtles, a blue-spotted salamander, stuffed owls, stuffed hawks and more.
“I love the turtles. They just look really cool,” Kendyl Coleman said. “I didn’t like touching the snake’s skin.”
The students also went on a nature walk to view different ecosystems and learn about the wetlands and swamps in the area. Students viewed muskrats, baby geese, swans, ducks and a bald eagles nest.
