On January 22nd, YHS welcomed 55 chum salmon eggs to the Junior School Science classroom. The eggs were delivered by Beverly O’Connor, Vancouver School Board Salmon Coordinator and Volunteer for the “Salmonids in the Classroom” program. YHS has participated in program for the past ten years, which is supported and funded by Fisheries and Oceans Canada in partnership with the generous donations of YHS parents.
The salmon eggs are developing in a special incubator that maintains the water temperature at a chilly six degrees Celsius. The Grade 5 students acting as “Senior Salmon Caretakers”, along with the help of Grade 2 students who are our “Junior Salmon Caretakers”, monitor the aquarium each day. They are learning about the life cycle of salmon, its habitat, and how salmon are very sensitive to changes in their environment.
Once the eggs hatch and develop into fry, the Grade 5 students will release them at Spanish Banks Creek, a designated release site. Learning about stewardship helps students contribute to our community. Over the coming weeks, all of the students in the Junior School will enjoy caring and watching our salmon develop.
Lela Ling
Jr. School Science Teacher