Parent Teacher Magazine Union County Public Schools Nov/Dec 2015 | Page 21

Piedmont Middle science class to raise hundreds of rainbow trout

They won’t be able to pet them or walk them
There are 17 schools throughout North Carolina
on a leash, but science students at Piedmont
that have Trout in the Classroom, and Piedmont
Middle School will have an entire school year to
Middle is the only one in UCPS.
raise hundreds of rainbow trout from eggs to
“The key to the program is having an
“fingerlings” that will be released in the spring.
enthusiastic teacher,” Hershey said. “I love
Trout in the Classroom (TIC) is an
teachers that are excited. How can you not try it
environmental education program designed
out here when you have that kind of enthusiasm?”
for teachers who want to incorporate more
“What a blessing that I inherited this,” said
environmental education into their curriculum.
Piedmont Middle’s current principal Tracy
The program was born about 20 years ago and
Strickland. “As Ms. Tuck dreamed out loud about
is now in classrooms across the United States.
the trout in the classroom project, I’ve fallen in
“The fish are going to be very integral in
love with it, as well. It’s an excellent opportunity
our eighth-grade curriculum because of the
for students to see how life progresses and the
chemistry of the water and the microbiology
different ways to use that in the classroom,
or the bacteria that is living in the water,” said
and to incorporate the curriculum so that
Piedmont Middle School eighth-grade
Piedmont Middle School eighth-grade science
students have real life semi-tactile that they can
science teacher Victoria Tuck fills the
teacher Victoria Tuck.
incorporate into their learning. It is an incredible
fish tank with water.
Tuck’s class will receive about 300 eggs in
opportunity for them. We appreciate it a lot.”
September, provided by the Erwin National Fish Hatchery in Erwin,
When it’s time to set the trout free, some of Tuck’s students will
Tenn. This will hopefully result in at least 100 rainbow trout, which
travel to South Mountains State Park in Marion and release them into
will live in a 55-gallon tank located in the classroom.
the streams.
“Usually 20 to 40 percent live,” said Dana Hershey, a volunteer
“This project will hopefully teach children early to connect with
with Rocky River chapter of Trout Unlimited who set up the aquarium
the water that sustains the fish, the idea of clean water and what it
and various equipment necessary for th H