Kenny Lake School in Alaska is small, with about 60 students from kindergarten to high school seniors. Jennifer Hodges, a teacher, said, “My students sit only at desks for 20 minutes a day. They do a lot of practical learning, such as raising salmon (鲑) from egg to fry (鱼苗) in the classroom and then releasing them into lakes.”
It is through a program called Salmon in the Classroom. Kate Morse, program director for the project, is in charge of the program. With this project, students have a completely different attitudes because they know what it takes to actually go through the stages of a salmon.
They think learning about the habitat temperature and the effects of climate change is more crucial now than ever. In 2022, the Arctic had its sixth-warmest year on record. But this is unusual in raising salmon, which require cold water to survive. “We had a failure in our equipment and it brought the temperature up about five degrees”, said Hodges. “Just warming it that much just killed our eggs.”
They can also observe how deadly pollutants can be to salmon’s habitat. During the months when the salmon are in the classroom, students like to sit by the tank to observe. “For instance, putting hand sanitizer (消毒剂) on your hands and then putting your fingers in the tank, you’ve polluted the tank,” said Hodges.
Each year in May, she takes her students on the Salmon Field Trip, where they will name the fish and get to release the salmon they’ve raised in class.
“The best part is getting to release them after watching them hatch from eggs and grow into fry and taking care of them,” said Fisher, a student. “You get to say goodbye.”
“I went to release them last year and the lake was still covered with ice,” said Styrling, a student. “I fell in. It was cold, but it was still funny.”
4. What do we know about the students in Kenny Lake School?
A.They raise salmon for their eggs. | B.They always sit at desks all day. |
C.They can receive hands-on education. | D.They can combine learning with hobbies. |
5. Why is the program mentioned in paragraph 2?
A.To stress the role the program has played. | B.To introduce the founder of the program. |
C.To explain ways that students raise salmon. | D.To emphasize Kate Morse’s responsibility. |
6. Which statement is supported by Hodges?
A.Climate change has a minimal impact on salmon habitats. |
B.Salmon eggs are sensitive to the rise of water temperature. |
C.Their equipment failure caused a decrease in water temperature. |
D.Students observe the tank to learn about pollution caused by salmon. |
7. What is the students’ attitude to raising salmon?
A.Positive. | B.Doubtful. | C.Neutral. | D.Indifferent. |