Swim to and from the Sea!
Students are introduced to the basic biology behind Pacific salmon migration and the many engineered Columbia River dam structures that aid in their passage through the river's hydroelectric dams. Students apply what they learn about the salmon life cycle as they think of devices and modifications that might be implemented at dams to permit the natural cycle of fish migration, and as they make (hypothetical) Splash Engineering presentations about their proposed fish mitigation solutions for Birdseye River's dam in Thirsty County.
Students explore fish migrationCopyright 2004 Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399 USA. All rights reserved.
Massive engineered structures such as dams have an effect on the natural environment. Because the application of scientific knowledge to satisfy human needs requires natural resources, engineering solutions inevitably impact the natural environment. The priorities of engineering projects are ultimately chosen by the priorities of the public, and thus, engineering projects change along with people. Because society is now more aware of the importance of environmental conservation, the design and modification of these structures take into consideration care for the ecosystems in which they operate and on which they depend.
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- Name the stages of the salmon life cycle.
- Explain why it is important for adult salmon to migrate upstream past dams.
- Name three examples of engineered structures designed to protect fish.