OPTIONAL Lesson: How do you set up a fish aquarium? Duration: 50 minutes Suggested learning sequence What is in an aquarium? Introduction – Have students draw an annotated diagram of the aquarium and its parts. Discuss with students what is needed to set up an aquarium for fish. Find out Ensure students follow The Animal what they already know. Some Care and Protection Act 2001 and The discussion questions could include: Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific What do fish in an aquarium need Purposes, 2013, 8th Edition in to survive? accordance with Education Queensland What do we need to set up a fish Guidelines when setting up the aquarium? E.g. filter, pump, water, aquarium. See for more information. heater, light, glass scrubber or cleaner, gravel cleaner, fish food, Discuss with students the guidelines plant life, shelters. Why do you they must stick to when caring for the think you need these different fish or other living things in the things? What could happen if you aquarium. didn’t have them? What things do you need to monitor Draw up a roster for students to regularly in an aquarium to ensure observe and care for the fish and plants it stays healthy? E.g. temperature, in the aquarium. E.g. create a class cleanliness, water level and other data table next to the aquarium where tests and indicators. students can record some simple daily activities such as food given and water Do all fish need the same things in quality parameters e.g. temperature. an aquarium? E.g., discuss water versus salt water. Students can also record daily observations in a special diary/journal Students might also share experiences such as algae/dirt build-up, fish they have had with keeping fish in behaviours, e.g. gills and breathing, aquariums at home or places they have eating and hiding. visited that have had fish in aquariums. Add new to the word wall (See Activity Set up a fish aquarium – Resource 2 Word bank for examples – of vocabulary). If you are not able to set up a aquarium then view the suggestions in ‘Alternative Students add learning and activity Exploring aquaria’. – reflections to their science journal (See Resource 3 Student reflections for – Set up a fish aquarium in the class so examples of sentence starters you can students can observe and care for fish use to guide student reflections). throughout the unit.
OPTIONAL Lesson: How do you set up a fish aquarium? Duration: 50 minutes Suggested learning sequence Introduction – What is in an aquarium? Discuss with students what is needed to set up an aquarium for fish. Find out what they already know. Some discussion questions could include: What do fish in an aquarium need to survive? What do we need to set up a fish aquarium? E.g. filter, pump, water, heater, light, glass scrubber or cleaner, gravel cleaner, fish food, plant life, shelters. Why do you think you need these different things? What could happen if you didn’t have them? What things do you need to monitor regularly in an aquarium to ensure it stays healthy? E.g. temperature, cleanliness, water level and other tests and indicators. Do all fish need the same things in an aquarium? E.g., discuss water versus salt water. Students might also share experiences they have had with keeping fish in aquariums at home or places they have visited that have had fish in aquariums. Activity – Set up a fish aquarium If you are not able to set up a aquarium then view the suggestions in ‘Alternative activity – Exploring aquaria’. Set up a fish aquarium in the class so students can observe and care for fish throughout the unit. Have students draw an annotated diagram of the aquarium and its parts. Ensure students follow The Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 and The Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes, 2013, 8th Edition in accordance with Education Queensland Guidelines when setting up the aquarium. See for more information. Discuss with students the guidelines they must stick to when caring for the fish or other living things in the aquarium. Draw up a roster for students to observe and care for the fish and plants in the aquarium. E.g. create a class data table next to the aquarium where students can record some simple daily activities such as food given and water quality parameters e.g. temperature. Students can also record daily observations in a special diary/journal such as algae/dirt build-up, fish behaviours, e.g. gills and breathing, eating and hiding. Add new to the word wall (See Resource 2 – Word bank for examples of vocabulary). Students add learning and reflections to their science journal (See Resource 3 – Student reflections for examples of sentence starters you can use to guide student reflections).