Remote Learning: Coho Salmon

Coho salmon, also called silver salmon, are much-loved fish that visit and live in Dutch Bill Creek at Westminster Woods. They are an endangered population within the Russian River Watershed (which includes Dutch Bill Creek and the Woods, as well as much of Sonoma and Mendocino Counties). Lots of scientists and other people are working together to bring coho salmon back from the brink of extinction. Many restoration projects that help coho salmon are happening right here at Westminster Woods.  

Join us in these remote learning lessons to explore the life cycle of coho salmon, restoration projects at the Woods, and how you can use the skill of communication to join in the efforts to help coho salmon. This series of three lessons has been carefully crafted by our teacher naturalists. Just scroll down the page to get started and do the activities in the order they appear.

Lesson 1: Coho Salmon Life Cycle

In this lesson, you will be introduced to coho salmon, an endangered species that live in Dutch Bill Creek at Westminster Woods. You will learn about their life cycle, challenges, and why they are important.

1A. Introduction

1B. Salmon Game

Print and play this game to start exploring the life of coho salmon.

1C. Salmon Life Cycle

Watch this video about the life cycle of salmon. You can follow along with the salmon life cycle worksheet. Finish filling out the worksheet after you watch the video.

If you would rather read than watch the video, click here.

1D. Wild Salmon Song

For extra fun, watch and sing along with this song.

Lesson 2: Salmon Restoration and Habitat Needs

In this lesson, you get to explore projects at the Woods that help coho salmon. Along the way, you will learn about what salmon need for a healthy habitat.

2A. Tour of Salmon Restoration Projects

Watch this video to explore projects at Westminster Woods that help coho salmon. You can follow along with the Healthy Salmon Habitat worksheet (below).

If you would rather read than watch the video, click here.

Dig Deeper! If you want to explore data collected by salmon-monitoring scientists, check out https://caseagrant.ucsd.edu/project/russian-river-salmon-and-steelhead-monitoring-program. 

2B. Healthy Habitat Model

Now it’s time to use your creativity! Make something that shows at least 5 things salmon need for a healthy stream habitat. Include words to label what those things are. For example, you might make:

• A diagram drawn by hand or on a computer program - Draw a stream and at least 5 things that would make the stream healthy for salmon. Label those things with words.

• A diorama - If you have craft materials (like paper, scissors, tape, and whatever else you want to use), you can make a 3D model, maybe in a shoe box or using a cereal box.

• A model in a room of your house - For example, a fort made with chairs and blankets could represent logs in the stream that give salmon places to hide. You can use paper to make labels, or take a photo of your model and write a description of what each thing represents to go with the photo.

• If you live near a stream, you could make a video that shows what is healthy about your stream and what could be done to make it a better habitat.

2C. Reflection

Use this rubric to self-evaluate your healthy habitat model. (Teachers can also use this rubric to grade models.)

Lesson 3: Communication as a Skill for Conservation

In this lesson, you will discover that communication is a skill that can be used to help endangered species. Then you get to practice communication skills and help coho salmon by creating something that tells people about them. 

3A. Interviews with Salmon Scientists

Teacher naturalists interviewed some scientists who are involved with coho salmon at Westminster Woods. Watch these videos to see the interviews.

If you would rather read than watch the videos, click here.

3B. Interview Someone

Now it is your turn to do an interview. You can interview anyone. Maybe you will call a grandparent or talk to a friend. You will find out what they know about coho salmon and about helping endangered species. Below are some tips for interviewing and some questions you can use in your interview.

Tips for Interviewing

• Ask open-ended questions. An open ended question lets people talk in full sentences. It can’t be answered with just “yes” or “no.”

• Listen. You can show you are listening by responding to what they have said. Ask appropriate follow up questions, not just the questions you had listed before you started the interview. You can also say, “Tell me more,” or “Please say more about that.” If they answer one of your planned questions before you ask it, skip that question or ask if they want to add anything about it. 

• Allow for silence and pauses. People need time to think about what they will say. Silently count to 10 in your head if you have trouble waiting.

• Be polite. Put people at ease by starting with asking how they are doing or something like that. Explain the project you are working on and ask to interview them. If you are recording, ask permission to record. Say thank you at the end of the interview.

3C. Reflect on Interviewing

Reflect on what it was like to interview someone. Here are some questions you can answer. You could write or talk about them. If you are doing this as a school project, you might talk about these questions with your teacher and classmates.

• What was easy about interviewing someone?

• What was challenging about interviewing someone?

• Which of the tips for interviewing did you use? What went well when you used that tip? What would you do differently next time?

3D. Communicate about Coho Salmon

Sharing stories of success is an important way to help endangered species. When people learn about what is working, they can be inspired to help. So you can help coho salmon by sharing what you have learned about them. Make something that tells the general public:

1. About coho salmon and why they are important

2. What is being done at and near Westminster Woods to help coho salmon

Think about what you learned when you interviewed someone. This could give you an idea about what people know and don’t know about salmon and endangered species. When you tell the story of coho salmon, it should make sense to people who don’t already know a lot about salmon.

Here are ideas of formats you might use to communicate:

• Make a video.

• Create a PowerPoint or Google Slides presentation.

• Write a newspaper article or blog post.

• Create a poster.

• Communicate in some other way. (If you are doing this for a class assignment, you might ask your teacher to approve your idea of how to communicate.)

Consider sharing your finished project with the person you interviewed.

3E. Reflection and Survey

Thank you for joining us in learning about coho salmon and conservation!

Created by the Teacher Naturalists of Westminster Woods, Spring 2020

Special thanks to Doug Gore, Nick Bauer, and David Berman