Go Fish: A Hands-On Lesson on Fisheries
Lesson Plans
Grades6, 7, 8Biology
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Provided by EarthEcho International
What it is
- In this lesson from EarthEcho International, students will understand sustainable seafood and why it is important to make sustainable choices as a consumer.
- Students will play a game as if they are fishing for seafood, while chance events determine how prosperous they are.
- Teachers will need 30 minutes for gameplay and reflection. This does not include the time it takes to explain the game.
Teaching tips
Positives
- The provided log gives students space to think deeper about the game and how it is connected to real life.
- Because the events in the game are determined by chance, early finishers can play another round to see how things can go differently.
Prerequisites
- Students should have a general idea about sustainability and the importance of making sustainable choices.
- Teachers will need to print the cards and logs ahead of time and prepare colored cards or candy, depending on their preference.
Differentiation & Implementation
- This activity has a focus on individual choices. Teachers can extend this activity to get students thinking about systems and policies to solve the problem with this Tragedy of the Commons activity.
- To make connections to climate change, teachers can explain how climate change impacts the oceans and, in turn, fish populations, making sustainable seafood choices all the more important.
- Teachers can use this activity to make connections to the Sustainable Development Goals, noting, in particular, the relationship between SDG 12, Responsible Consumption and Production, and SDG 14, Life Below Water.
- To make connections to their community, students can research local seafood options or what is available at their grocery store. Students can create a guide for sustainable seafood shopping to share with community members.
From the scientist review
This hands-on game engages students with threats to fisheries. This resource’s greatest weakness is that climate change is not mentioned as a direct threat to fisheries. Numerous effects of climate change are in the student cards, but these are not tied to climate change. That said, this resource is strong in its presentation of fisheries and is recommended for teaching.
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