Our 4th graders will learn first-hand just what it takes to hatch and raise rainbow trout, thanks to a grant from CapEd. Mrs. Gammon, who teaches 46 4th grade science students, applied for and won a grant that will help pay for the supplies needed to complete an Idaho “Trout in the Classroom” project. The chiller is the most expensive piece of equipment and is necessary to keep the water consistently cool at about 52 degrees.

Mrs. Gammon will work with Trout Unlimited and Idaho Fish and Game to complete the project. Biologists will interact with the students for fish dissections and other projects. Students will also trade information and tapestry squares with other schools. Mrs. Gammon has attended trainings and has been assigned a mentor from Idaho Fish and Game. Ultimately, her class will receive the trout eggs from the Heyburn Hatchery on January 27th.

Students will keep track of nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, pH levels, and temperature on a daily and weekly basis. After the fish hatch, they will be fed for a while and then the class will release them into the Boise River. Students will learn about water quality, fish habitats, fishing, and more.