When Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) visited Chapin in the fall, they brought some fishy friends to say hello to Class 4. The students delighted in meeting the local Brook Trout and have spent the last several months taking care of their own baby trout during science classes.
During that CSHL visit, Class 4 observed the milting process and have cared for the trout hatched from those resulting eggs. This annual unit, taught by Middle School (MS) Science teacher Dana Leibowitz, culminates in the release of their trout into the Hudson River. Caring for the fish is an interactive way for students to learn all about ecology, biology and other sciences and to promote their understanding of their own environmental impact.
Over the last few weeks, the girls have worked in small groups to design and present ideas for this year’s trout house. This project asks each Class 4 cohort to design a shelter for the trout using CAD (Computer Aided Design) software, a 3D modeling program, and print them on a reduced scale using the 3D printers in The Hayot Center for Innovation (HCI).
After their designs are presented to a panel of judges, one is selected as the sole home to be placed in the trout tank to provide the fish with appropriate shelter and safety. To inform their designs, the girls first learned about a trout’s environmental needs.
As the students discovered — and, later, shared in their presentations — trout need shelter for specific reasons. For one, the fish are quite susceptible to sunburns, thus making shade a vital part of their environment. Also, as gruesome as it may sound, trout cannibalism can be an issue, which makes places to hide another necessity.
The Class 4 students also learned that strong ventilation is vital to avoid harmful ammonium build-up, which is sometimes fatal for the fish. (Ammonia, a common chemical found in nature, can accumulate when dirt, fish excrement or decaying fish are trapped in a small space.) With this in mind, the students conducted tests to ensure that their structures would be easy to clean. As was shared in their presentations, the results of their tests showed that all structures could be cleaned within five to nine seconds.
Each group also tested their physical models to determine if there were any sharp edges that could harm these delicate fish. The girls used Playdough to check each edge and if they found that the dough was indented, they reworked their CAD design to ensure that their shelter wouldn’t harm the real trout.
Ahead of their proposals, Ms. Leibowitz and her class spent time discussing what it means to give a strong presentation. They were also joined by K-12 Speech and Debate Program Coordinator Jim Shapiro, who detailed public speaking skills and discussed how to engage an audience.
After considering all the needs of the trout and sharpening their presentation skills, the girls pitched their houses, a la “Shark Tank,” to a panel of judges. The judges included a variety of Chapin Professional Community members, including teachers from different divisions and department administrators.
As each group went before the judges in the HCI, Ms. Leibowitz played the infamous “Shark Tank” music to set the scene. The “Four Troutaneers” kicked off their presentation with an enthusiastic cheer before launching into a skit. They acted out the pitfalls of a poorly designed structure, and the benefits of a well constructed one, and then took the audience through each of their design choices. When finished, the girls invited the judges to ask questions, which they answered confidently and clearly.
All Class 4 groups, including “Fantastic Fry,” “Llamas Group” (an acronym for its members names) and “Trout Agency,” delivered thorough and engaging presentations. Many created skits to help share their ideas and grab the audience's attention. Others included hilarious trout jokes and one even wrote an original song. The judges will certainly have a hard time selecting only one winner for this year’s trout house!
