Right Under Your Nose: YEAR 2 - Science- Engage

When the power goes off, Big Cuz, Nanna, Little J and Old Dog go to the beach. They use bread to catch hermit crabs, which in turn are used to catch a ‘bluebone’ fish. Big Cuz learns how to fish, Nanna makes a fire to cook the fish, and Little J finds a large clam shell to take to school the next day.

Engage - Pose and respond to questions, and make predictions about familiar objects and events

Theme - FISHING

Revisit the Little J & Big Cuz, Episode 4 ‘Right Under Your Nose’, and ask students to recall why Nanna, Little J, Big Cuz and Old Dog go to the beach? – FISHING! Invite students to share their prior knowledge and experience of fishing, the fish they caught and the ones that got away.

Introduce students to:

This game evaluates what students know about fish, and categorising other animals.

Provide students with a fish template and ask students to draw and decorate the fish on one side and write a fish name that they know on the other side. Provide a pair of students with a name of a fish variety. Therefore, there are two people in the class with the same fish name. Cut out the fish template. Secure the paper fish between laminating sheets and laminate before trimming each, or use Contact adhesive paper on both sides and cut out each fish. Use a hole punch/stud punch to put a hole through the nose of each fish, and tie a wire ring, paper clip or string with small magnet. Have two poles with fishing line and a hook or magnet at the end of the line. Place all ‘contacted’ fish-shaped drawings in a tube of water and invite different pairs of students to fish for pairs of fish with the same name. The pair with the most pairs in five minutes are declared the best fishermen. As a class, evaluate the degree of difficulty it is to fish for the correct fish.

As a class, view How can you catch and eat fish? (Scootle: TLF ID M015776) and discuss the difference between the meaning of personal fishing and commercial fishing.

Observe and discuss examples of Aboriginal ways of fishing and Torres Strait Islander ways of fishing, such as

Discuss the difference between the techniques and technologies of traditional fishing, and the ways fish are commercially farmed and/or caught today. Have students pose and respond to questions about what are the differences and why these differences exist.

Follow up this activity with reading books about traditional fishing and/or crabbing, such as:

  • Button, J.  (2008).  Joshua and the two crabs.  Broome, WA : Magabala Books.
  • Mooney, J.  (2009).  Fishing time in the banana boat.  Thuringowa, Qld :  Black Ink Press.
  • One Arm Point Remote Community School. (2010) Our World Bardi Jaawi, Life at Ardiyooloon. Broome, Western Australia :  Magabala Books.
  • Seden, P.  (2016).  Crabbing with dad.  Broome, Western Australia :  Magabala Books.
  • Wolmby, B.  (2009).  Spearing crabs.  Thuringowa, Qld :  Black Ink Press.

Involve students in either, an -

Incursion: Invite an Aboriginal Elder or acknowledged representative and/or Torres Strait Islander Elder or acknowledged representative (as advised by the local Elders) to speak to students about local fishing technologies and the local fish varieties, where and when is the best times to fish. Have students learn selected words of the local traditional language related to the focus of their learning.

or

Excursion: Take the class to the local fish shop or fish market. Have students develop a list of questions they want to ask the fishmongers about the names of seasonal fish, and popular seafood, such as: where do the fish come from? How do the fish get from the sea to market, and then to the home table? Which fish are the best to eat? How to cook fish properly, etc.

Back at school start a ‘Word Wall’ of fish names and fishing technologies they have learnt through the excursion, and periodically add to the words throughout the unit.

Have each student enter their ‘Fishmonger’ question sheet, fish recipe, and information/images about traditional fishing methods into their Science Journal with other found images of types of Australian eating fish.

A Science Journal is a record of a students’ observations, experiences and reflections. Each entry is dated and annotated by the student. Annotations may include written labels, drawings, diagrams, charts, small specimens, photographs, and graphs. Student engagement and learning is evident in the science journal.