We swam back over to Veeder this week, to talk with Mrs. Reeves’ third-grade classroom the day after they released native brook trout at Saratoga Springs State Park. On Monday, May 19, the third graders took a trip to Geyser Creek – using borrowed waders to join biologists in the water, they released the trout into their natural habitat. 

This culminating event was the result of months of feeding schedules, water cycle monitoring, and careful care – all carried out by students as they learn about local ecosystems, and the needs of their inhabitants. “For students, this activity really brings our classroom lessons to life, allowing them to interact directly with species and environments that we speak about in school,” said Reeves. “It’s always rewarding to hear what they get out of it each year that I bring the project back.” She concludes. Students in Reeves’ class reflected on their experience of raising and releasing trout and what they believe to be the most notable moments of this experience. Here’s what they had to say:

Student Interviews:

1. What was your favorite part of raising trout in your classroom?

• Taking care of the trout was pretty fun. - Martin
• I loved Naming them. - McKenna
• I liked their life cycle. - Desmond
• Checking water levels was my favorite—it was hard but cool, - Clare

2. How did it feel to finally release your trout into the creek?

• Sad, because now we can’t see them anymore. - Martin
• Yeah it's sad to see the empty tank, I don't like it. - Desmond
• It was sad but also exciting, and we had them in little cups to put them in the water and we got to release them together! - McKenna
• I was happy that they were released, but now the tank is all empty. - Clare

3. What surprised you most about the trout’s life cycle?

• How big they grew. - Clare
• That when they hatch they still have eggs all over them and they EAT it! - McKenna
• When they age, they grow really quickly. - Desmond
•  It really surprised me how fast they grow, they were like, little little and then they became so big! - Martin

4. What was the hardest part of taking care of the trout?

• Checking water levels—there were a bunch of chemicals and you had to mix it all together to see and then do it again and again, with different kinds. - Unanimous
• It was confusing because some of the words could be really similar like traits and trites. - McKenna

5. Why do you think it’s important to protect trout and their natural habitats?

• Because if we overfish them they could be endangered and that's not good for the environment. - Martin

6. Do you think this project changed how you feel about nature or the environment?

• Yes, I used to think bugs were gross, but I learned how important they were to other animals for food. - Clare
• Yes, because the fish have to do a lot of hard work to grow—then people fish them out of the sea. - McKenna
• I don't want to kill mosquitoes anymore because the trout can eat them! - Desmond
• No, I've always respected nature and animals and loved them! - Martin

7. What part of this experience was the most fun?

• Doing water tests, feeding them, watching them play and eat. - Unanimous