About This Lesson
Use this outdoor lesson when teaching about wetlands, aquatic habitats, fish, animal structures, living things, or responsible
interactions with the environment.
Students visit the school-owned wetland and participate in a supervised fishing activity using simple fishing poles
constructed from paint stirrers or wooden sticks, monofilament fishing line, and small hooks. Before fishing, students learn
the basic parts of their fishing equipment and practice tying a simple knot to attach their fishing line to the hook.
While fishing, students observe the wetland as a habitat and look for evidence of fish and other organisms. If a fish is
caught, students observe its external structures and discuss how those structures help the fish survive in an aquatic
environment. Fish should be handled by an adult or trained instructor and returned to the wetland promptly unless the
school has another approved management protocol.
The activity emphasizes observation and exploration. Catching a fish is not required for students to successfully complete
the lesson.
