FISH: SIMPLE NOMENCLATURE · Name the parts of the fish. 4. Discuss the function of the parts of...

Zoology Manual: Early Childhood

Montessori Research and Development © 2013 24

Material

• A set of pictures, labels, and definitions illustrating the external parts of

the fish

• A booklet of the external parts of the fish

• A wall chart of the fish

• A live fish and fish specimen

Presentation 1

1. Share the live fish with the children.

2. Ask the children if they can name or describe the parts of the fish: head,

eyes, gill openings, pectoral fins, pelvic fins, dorsal fins, anal fin, caudal

fin, and lateral line.

3. Name the parts of the fish.

4. Discuss the function of the parts of the fish.

A. The Fish - Fish are animals that live in water, have scales on their

bodies, and have fins for movement.

B. Head - The head has a tapering form that enables it to cut through the

water. Fish have no neck. The head is attached directly to the body.

C. Eyes - While some fish have no eyes, most fish have eyes that see

with varying degrees of acuity.

D. Gill Openings - The gill openings cover the gills of the fish. The

gills are like lungs. The gills take in oxygen from the water.

E. Lateral Line - The lateral line is found on both sides of the fish’s

body. The lateral line senses vibrations made by animals or things

in the water.

FISH:

SIMPLE NOMENCLATURE



F. Pectoral Fins - The two pectoral fins are usually behind the gill

openings. They are used for steering. In flying fish, the pectoral

fins are used for gliding through the air.

G. Pelvic Fins - The two pelvic fins are on the bottom of the fish and

aid in slowing swimming. Pelvic fins are sometimes called ventral

fins.

H. Dorsal Fins - The dorsal fins are the stabilizing fins. They are used

to keep the fish upright and for fast swimming and jumping.

I. Anal Fin - The anal fin is used as a rudder for balance and rapid

movement of the fish in water.

J. Caudal Fin - The caudal fin is at the end of the fish’s body. The

caudal fin is used to help the fish move forward at great speed.

Presentation 2

1. Say, “I would like to show you pictures of parts of the fish today.”

2. Place the picture with label cards in a column along the left edge of the rug.

Name the isolated parts of the fish.

3. Distribute the picture cards.

4. Ask, “Who has the picture of the whole fish that looks like this?” Point to

the appropriate picture with label.

5. Have the child place the picture to the right of the picture with label.

6. Continue in this manner with the remaining pictures. (head, eyes, gill open-

ings, pectoral fins, pelvic fins, dorsal fins, caudal fin, anal fin, lateral line)

7. Ask, “Who has a label for ‘fish’ that looks like this?”

8. Have the child place the label below the picture.

9. Continue in this manner with the remaining labels.

10. Upon completion, allow the children to read the labels identifying the fish

parts.



Language

Fish Gill Openings Pelvic Fins

Head Lateral Line Dorsal Fins

Eyes Pectoral Fins Anal Fin

Caudal Fin

Point of Interest

The control card will match the picture and label.

Aim

Direct:

Development of an appreciation for fish.

Indirect:

The names of parts of the fish.

Control of Error

Visual - The control card matches the picture and label.

Age

2-1/2 to 5-1/2 years.



FISH:

SIMPLE NOMENCLATURE



Material

• Aquarium and vivarium

• Water

• Rocks

• Basket with children’s names

• Fish food

Presentation 1 (Care of the Tadpole)

1. Place the tadpole in its aquarium in front of the children.

2. Say, “Today I’d like to observe and talk about tadpoles.” (If you are able to

begin with eggs this is even better.)

3. Ask, “What do you observe?”

4. Encourage the children to discuss what they see.

5. Say, “Yes, this is very much like a fish. How is it different from a fish?”

6. Say, “Yes, there are not all the fins for movement. This is really a very special

animal that looks like a fish and it lives under the water. But as we watch it

over the next several months we will notice changes.”

7. Say, “Now over these months that the tadpole is growing it will need to eat.

The tadpole can eat the same food we feed the fish.

8. Bring out the Animal Care Chart and fill it out for Amphibian. (See page 3)

9. Say, “This is a basket that has every child’s name. Each day we will choose

a label and that person will be responsible for feeding the tadpole. In time,

all of you will have a turn.”

AMPHIBIAN:

CARE OF THE ANIMAL



Note: During group time each day select a label, have the child feed the tadpole,

record on the chart with a check mark, or the child’s name, that the feeding

has occurred, and place the child’s name-label in the second basket.

Presentation 2 (Introducing a Plant on Friday)

1. Complete the process of feeding the tadpole.

2. Ask, “Tomorrow is Saturday and then Sunday. Who will feed the tadpole

on those two days when we are not at school?”

3. Allow the children to discuss this.

4. Place the plant in front of the children.

5. Say, “This is a special plant that lives in water. Let’s place this plant in the

aquarium and the tadpole can nibble on the plant when it gets hungry.”

6. Select a name from the basket for a child to place the plant in the fish tank.

Presentation 3 (Cleaning)

1. After the child has fed the tadpole, refer to the Animal Care Chart.

2. Say, “We have been doing very well on our care of the tadpole in terms of

feeding. Let’s see if there are other things we are supposed to be taking care

of.”

3. Indicate the word 'water'.

4. Ask, “The Chart says ‘water’. Do we need to provide water for the tadpole?”

5. Say, “Yes, the tadpole lives in water so we can add a cup of aged water each

day.”

6. Indicate the word 'clean' on the Animal Care Chart. (See page 3)

7. Ask, “The Chart says ‘clean’. Do you know what that means?”

8. Say, “Yes, the water gets dirty and it needs cleaning. Why does the water

get dirty?”

9. Say, “Yes, a little bit of the food may not be eaten by the tadpole and it will

rot and soil the water. Is there any other reason?”



10. Say, “Remember that the tadpole eats. Food goes into its mouth. The food

is digested and used by the body of the tadpole to live and grow. But some

of the food that the tadpole eats cannot be used. It is left over; it is waste.

The tadpole gets rid of the waste out of a hole called the anus. This hole is

at the other end of the body from the mouth. The waste that comes out of

the anus is sometimes called excrement.”

11. Ask, “So what do you think this chart means when it says ‘clean’?”

12. Say, “Yes, for the fish we use the baster and change the water. We will not

be able to change the water with the tadpoles because they are very delicate

and their bodies are growing and changing in special ways. If we change the

water there will be a change in the temperature and chemical make-up of

the water and this could affect the growth of the tadpole. The tadpole eats

algae and this helps keep the tank clean. We will use the baster to remove

waste. We will also add snails to help clean the aquarium.”

13. Place the snails before the children.

14. Place the snails in the tank.

15. Say, “The snails should keep the aquarium clean. However, each day we will

check to see that the aquarium is clean and use the baster if we need to.”

Note: The growth of the tadpole into a frog may take some time. It is suggested

that the child is not told what the tadpole will become. Through observation

the child will discover the changes. Each day the child that feeds the tadpoles

reports on any changes that have occurred.

Because the growth from tadpole to frog is long, it is suggested that while each day

there is a report on the tadpole, that the next animal be studied (the reptile) or the

introduction of the tadpole begin at the same time as the fish.



Presentation 4 (Care of the Frog - when it occurs)

1. Place the frog in the amphibian vivarium in front of the children.

2. Say, “Today I’d like to observe and talk about the frog.”

3. Ask, ‘What do you observe?”

4. Encourage the children to discuss what they see.

5. Say, “Yes, the frog goes in the water and sits on the rock.”

6. Ask, “All of us eat. Do you think frogs need to eat?”

7. Introduce the frog food: meal worms.

8. Say, “I’m going to put some food, just a little, in the water and I want you to

observe what happens.”

9. Ask, “What do you observe?”

10. Say, “Yes, the frog uses its long tongue to bring the food into its mouth.”

11. Ask, “Does anyone know how often we should feed a frog?”

12. Say, “Yes, while the frog may eat all day we can feed him once a day.”

13. Bring out the Animal Care Chart for Amphibian. (See page 3)

14. Say, “We use this same Chart now that the tadpole is a frog. We continue

to feed the animal once a day, and each day we look to determine if the

aquarium is clean. We will continue to use the same basket to choose the

child to feed the frog.”

Note: During group time each day, select a name label, have the child feed the frog,

record on the Chart with a check mark, or the child’s name, that feeding

has occurred, and place the child’s name-label in the second basket. After

a week it is wisest to release the frog at a pond where it will do better than

being kept in captivity.



Material

• Vivarium with frog

Presentation

1. Place the vivarium with the frog in front of the children.

2. Say, “Today I would like for us to observe and to talk about the frog.”

3. Taking the lead from the children, discuss each physical characteristic of

the frog.

A. The Amphibian - Amphibians live half of their life in water like

fish and half of their life on land.

B. Head - The head is directly attached to the body since frogs have

no neck. The head contains the eyes, nostrils, mouth, and ears

of the frog.

C. Eyes - A pair of bulging eyes can look in all directions. The bulg-

ing eyes enable the frog to see even when the rest of the body

is submerged in water.

D. Mouth - A large mouth extends from one side of the head of the

frog to the other.

E. Nostrils - The nostrils open into the mouth cavity making it pos-

sible for the frog to breathe without opening its mouth

F. Ears - The ears are near the eyes and aid the frog in hearing.

G. Forelegs - The forelegs are small and are sometimes used to push

food into the frog’s mouth.

H. Front Toes - The frog’s forelegs end in four clawless front toes.

AMPHIBIAN:

OBSERVATION OF THE ANIMAL

FISH: SIMPLE NOMENCLATURE · Name the parts of the fish. 4. Discuss the function of the parts of...

Documents

Transcript of FISH: SIMPLE NOMENCLATURE · Name the parts of the fish. 4. Discuss the function of the parts of...