The fish highway

This Connected article, written and illustrated by Adele Jackson, looks at the discovery that fish and eels are using Wellington’s stormwater system as access between streams and the sea.

Rights: Crown 2013

Connected article: The fish highway

An article in the 2013 Level 3 Connected journal, ‘Food for Thought’ published by the Ministry of Education, New Zealand.

Illustration by Adele Jackson.

Importance of observation

In this article the work of fish scientist Frances Forsyth is covered, including:

• how she first found that fish and eels are using the underground pipe system
• how to count fish without harming them
• recording observations.

Two types of native fish were identified – two from the Galaxias species – the banded kōkopu and the kōaro and one species of tuna (eel) – longfin eels.

Nature of science, key concepts and science capabilities

Key nature of science ideas profiled in this article are:

• science knowledge is based on direct, or indirect, observations of the natural physical world
• scientists gather data, using their senses to make observations
• making careful observations often involves measuring something
• observations are influenced by what you already know.

The key science idea focuses on life history, including the stages of growth and reproduction and how some animals live in a variety of different environments.

The article has a number of graphs and diagrams that support the science capability ‘interpret representations’.

Check your school library for the article from the 2013 level 3 Connected journal ‘ Food for Thought’, download it as a Google slide presentation from Tāhūrangi or order it from the Ministry of Education.

Rights: Crown 2013

2013 Connected Level 3: Food for Thought

The cover of the 2013 Level 3 Connected journal, ‘Food for Thought’ published by the Ministry of Education, New Zealand. This issue includes the articles: ‘Why is the Moon upside down?’, ‘A New Zealand Crocodile’, ‘Fast rust’, ‘You can count on it’ and ‘The fish highway’.

Photo of student by Adrian Heke. Perigee moon – supermoon 2013 photo © Dave Young.

Teacher support material

The teacher support material (TSM) can be downloaded from Tāhūrangi as a PDF file.

There are five learning activities that support the science aspects of the New Zealand Curriculum:

• The importance of measurement – students can practise measuring, demonstrating that scientists make measurements all the time.
• Mapping the highway – students map the use of the fish highway by the native fish and longfin eels.
• More about Galaxias – students research the five different species and develop an identification key.
• Read and take action – use this and other texts to look at the effects of environmental change.
• Become a citizen scientist – use the Hub’s citizen science resources to further explore this concept and find out about citizen science in action.

Literacy strategies also support students to get the most out of the text and include important skills useful when approaching scientific vocabulary.