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Fish: Movement

Fish: Movement

TEKS Objective

The student is expected to observe, record, and compare how the physical characteristics and behaviors of animals help them meet their basic needs, such as fins help fish move and balance in the water.

Essential Understanding

The student knows that organisms resemble their parents and have structures and processes that help them survive within their environments.

Science Background

All About Fish: Sea World (website) - Information about the anatomy of different kinds of fish (fins, skin, shape, etc.), the function of a fish’s body parts, and how fish sense their surroundings, and more.

All About Fish
Sea World, www.seaworld.org

Fish Shape: Project Oceanography, The University of South Florida (PDF) - This lesson includes great information about fish anatomy, adaptations, body types, etc.

Fish Shape
Project Oceanography, The University of South Florida, www.marine.usf.edu

Signature Lesson

Observing and Drawing the Structures of Guppies and Goldfish: Science and Health Education Partnership University of California (website) – Students observe and compare the physical characteristics and behaviors of live guppies and goldfish.

Observing and Drawing the Structures of Guppies and Goldfish
Science and Health Education Partnership University of California, www.seplessons.org

The Structure of a Goldfish - Animals Two by Two: FOSSWEB (PDF) - Students observe the physical characteristics and behaviors of goldfish, compare goldfish to guppies, and learn how goldfish bodies and behaviors help the fish to meet their basic needs.  Use No. 2- 7 reproducible sheets.

The Structure of a Goldfish - Animals Two by Two
FOSSWEB, www.fossweb.com

Supporting Lessons

Bony Fishes - Design a Fish: SeaWorld/Busch Gardens (PDF) – Students create clay fish models and compare the physical characteristics and body parts of different types of fish.

Bony Fishes - Design a Fish
SeaWorld/Busch Gardens, www.swbg-animals.org

Elaboration Lessons and Extensions

Fish Art Lesson Plan: US Forest Service (PDF) - Although this unit was written for grades 4-12, many of the activities can be adapted for 2nd grade. The activities teach about the parts of a fish and how they help the fish to meet its basic needs. Included are student pages, teacher background, assessment pages and a glossary.

Fish Art Lesson Plan
US Forest Service, www.fs.fed.us

Assessment Ideas

Have each student draw a picture of a fish in his or her science notebook and write a paragraph describing how fins help the fish to move and balance in water.

Literature Connections

Puffer’s Surprise. Winkelman, Barbara Gaines (ISBN-13: 978-1592490356)

Tiger Sharks: Blue Blenders. Goldish, Meish (ISBN-13: 978-1936087433)

Survival Secrets of Sea Animals. Rhodes, Mary Jo (ISBN-13: 978-0516254647)

The Pout-Pout Fish. Diesen, Deborah (ISBN-13: 978-0374360962)

Related Science TEKS

(2.2A) Ask Questions
Ask questions about organisms, objects, and events during observations and investigations.

(2.2B) Plan and Conduct Descriptive Investigation
Plan and conduct descriptive investigations such as how organisms grow.

(2.2C) Collect Data
The student is expected to collect data from observations using simple equipment such as hand lenses, primary balances, thermometers, and non-standard measurement tools.

(2.2D) Record and Organize Data & Observations
The student is expected to record and organize data using pictures, numbers, and words.

(2.3A) Identify, Explain and Propose a Solution to a Problem
Identify and explain a problem in his/her own words and propose a task and solution for the problem such as lack of water in a habitat.

(2.4A) Tools for Collecting and Analyzing Information
Collect, record, and compare information using tools, including  computers ,hand lenses, rulers , primary balances, plastic beakers, magnets, collecting nets, notebooks, and safety goggles; timing devices, including clocks and stopwatches ; weather instruments such as thermometers , wind vanes, and rain gauges; and materials to support observations of habitats of organisms such as terrariums and aquariums.

Related Math TEKS

2.12B  The student is expected to solve problems with guidance that incorporates the processes of understanding the problem, making a plan, carrying out the plan, and evaluating the solution for reasonableness.

2.13A  The student is expected to explain and record observations using objects, words, pictures, numbers, and technology.

Additional Resources

How Do Fish: Texas Parks & Wildlife (website) - Find out how fish swim, breathe, see, smell, and many other interesting facts as you navigate through this website.

How Do Fish
Texas Parks & Wildlife, www.tpwd.state.tx.us

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