Phone: 231-584-2461 E-mail: JordanRiver@fws.gov |
Educational Opportunities
On Site Tours
Tours of the Jordan River National Fish Hatchery can be arranged for any group or class from a school or organization (such as Scout Troops, 4-H, etc.). Fish culture, fish anatomy, aquatic nuisance species, sea lampreys, hatchery operations, water quality and lake trout rehabilitation efforts are among the topics that could be emphasized.
Programs
The hatchery staff is available for presentations to schools or organizations. A dissection of a lake trout for a school class could be accompanied by a discussion of fish organs, their functions and how they relate to fish health. With younger students the dissection could be a demonstration; with older students they could dissect the fish themselves. The hatchery program and its potential water quality impact, invasive species, fish health or the Great Lakes Lake Trout Restoration Program are some of the additional topics available.
Kids Program
In January, February, and March 2005, the hatchery hosted a monthly outreach night. Adults and children were invited to interact with staff who presented programs on lake trout, brook trout, and invasive species in the Great Lakes. The program, called Fish are Fun, was very successful, and attracted a lot of visitors. Nearly sixty people attended the March program. Tim Smigielski, Lead Fisheries Biologist at the Jordan River National Fish Hatchery, plans to continue the Fish are Fun series in the fall of 2005.
Hunting and Fishing Expos
During the year, events in the surrounding communities provide the public with an opportunity to learn about the Jordan River National Fish Hatchery and its mission. Hatchery staff members represent the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service at the Northland Sportsman Club of Gaylord's Hunting and Fishing Expo and the Traverse City Hunting and Fishing Expo. Displays often include a sea lamprey parasitizing a lake trout, samples of invasive species, a lake trout stocking site map, an aquarium containing pigmented and albino lake trout and a PowerPoint presentation on the lake trout program.
Arrangements for any tour or program can be made by calling the hatchery office Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at 231-584-2461 or e-mail.
Examples for math teachers
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calculating fish per pound and raceway inventory (involves multiplication, division, fractions)
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calculating feed rations (involves the above operations, plus a cube root problem)