The Little Girl of the Sea

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Ciência Viva Agency, Portugal
Raquel Gaspar
Associação Viver a Ciência
Av. da República, nº 34, 1º Lisboa | E: rgaspar@viveraciencia.org
The Little Girl of the Sea
THE FISH
1. Observing and experimenting to learn about the fish
2. Art workshop
3. “Imagine …” workshop
4. Find out more
1. Observing and experimenting to learn about fish
Fish diversity
In order to raise awareness about the diversity of marine fish and their
habitats, the children are asked to observe (in rock pools, aquariums, fish
markets or in the classroom) fish with distinct characteristics regarding
the type of body, type of covering, colour pattern, type and number of
fins, position of the eyes, presence or absence of teeth. The following
fish are suggested for observation purposes: sword-fish, moray eel and
European conger.
Observing the outer structure of the fish
In groups and using the material supplied (board with fish, information
documents, tweezers, scissors), the children observe the features of the
body of the fish (shape, symmetry, dorsal and ventral colouring, type of
body covering, fins, head organs, gills and scales).
Based on their observations, the children draw up labelled drawings.
Lateral line
Dorsal fin
Eye
Caudal fin
Mouth
Operculum
Anal fin
Pectoral fin
Pelvic fin
Anus
The outside of the common dolphinfish
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Observing the internal organs of the fish
The teacher dissects a fish and asks the children to identify the
internal structures of the animal, based on diagram handed out (see
diagram below).
Fish Diagram
Dissection
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Material: gloves, pointed scissors, tweezers, magnifying glass and
probes with handles.
Procedure:
1. Make two cuts near the dorsal fin from top to bottom to remove a
thin slice of muscle, allowing you to observe the muscle and the dorsal
spine.
2. Lift the gill cover and cut it towards the back, removing it.
3. Make a cut between the pelvic fins and the gill cover in order to
release that portion and then pull it backwards.
4. Insert the scissors into the upper part just below the lateral line and
cut the muscle along the dorsal spine, cutting each bone perpendicular
with the anus.
5. Push the muscle upwards to see the inner cavity with the
organs.
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Swim bladder
During the dissection, identify and remove all or part of the swim
bladder. As it is difficult to remove the entire organ, it is best to take
only a part.
An experiment could be conducted to allow the children to understand
the function of the swim bladder as a control for the floatability of fish
at different depths (at greater depth the bladder has less air, at less
depth, the bladder fills with more air).
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Place 6 marbles of the same weight and size in two balloons (3 in an
empty balloon – Balloon A – and 3 in another – Balloon B). Tie Balloon
A without blowing it up, then blow up Balloon A and tie it.
Place the balloons in a container with water and watch the position
of each one, asking the children to hypothesise about what they see and
establish a parallel with the function of the swim bladder.
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The Little Girl of the Sea
Protective scales
Observe and handle wet and dry fish scales to learn about their
characteristics (lightness, texture).
Draw a parallel between the protective function of the scales and
other types of protective materials, body armour or pineapple skin.
Photo: Cláudia Faria
Amplified scale of a common
dolphinfish with visible growth rings.
Test the protective function of the scales through a simple
experiment.
A group of children use a kitchen scraper to scrape a pineapple
(with skin) and another does exactly the same on a skinless pineapple.
Compare the results and compile a report (text and drawings).
Based on the conclusion, draw a parallel between the pineapple skin
and the body scales of the fish.
Mucus protects and allows for smooth moving
The children observe and handle fish with mucous-covered bodies
(e.g. moray eel and European conger) and explore the properties and
function of the mucous.
Remind them that the fish in the story has mucous instead of scales,
which provides protection from strong waves and from being scratched
by the rocks.
Child comparing a pineapple skin with
fish scales
An experiment could be held to enable the children to arrive at their
own conclusions about the contribution of the mucous to the fluid
movement of the fish in the water and about its protective function.
In order to draw conclusions about the characteristics of the mucous,
run a finger over the surface of the fish and another over a similar nonmucous surface.
Draw parallels with other types of protection which are a daily part
of the children’s lives, tears, sun protector, lip salve (protection against
the sun, wind and cold).
Comment: The mucous of the fish can be substituted by vaseline or
sweet almond oil.
The body of the fish and the body of the child
The children draw parallels between the structure of their own bodies
and the body of the fish (fins – arms and legs; scales and mucous – skin;
eyes, nostrils, mouth and teeth; the urogenital opening of the fish with
the anus and vagina/penis of the children).
At a swimming class, children are involved in activities which will
enable them to understand how the fish use their fins to swim.
Ask the children to move in the water in two different situations: (1)
using only their legs and (2) using diving fins. Ask them to say in which
situation it is easiest for them to move more quickly and then draw a
parallel with the fish.
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Observing fish at the Serrado School, SciencEduc project
Photo: Luz Figueiredo
2. Art workshop
Making models of the fish
The children make models of the fish using everyday materials
(recyclable, for use in art, natural) which the teacher provides: ice cream
sticks, matches, corks, rolls of kitchen or toilet paper, ladies’ tights or
stockings, magazines, cardboard boxes, paints, buttons, cards, spangles,
fabrics, plant leaves, thick plastic bags.
Before building the models, the children discuss their plans. At this
stage, the teacher should give the children the freedom to make their
own choices, and make no value judgments or corrections.
At the end of the activity, when the children present the models they
made and give the reasons for their choices, the teacher can assess what
was learned and identify any contents to be clarified and consolidated
in subsequent sessions.
Children building fish models
3. “Imagine…” workshop
Recreating the episodes of the story through drama using what
was learnt during the activities. This aims to stimulate the children’s
creativity.
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The Little Girl of the Sea
The children are asked to recreate the games played by the little girl
of the sea and the fish.
It should be remembered that the fish was the little girl’s best friend
and was the one with whom she played and went for walks on the sea
bed. In order to defend her, he bit the boy and slapped him with its fins.
The fish had no arms, so he had no tasks to do.
Some of the children could imagine that they are different fish (in the
story other species are mentioned (sharks, rays, sea horses, flying fish)
and recreate the bodies of these fish using their hands and everyday
materials.
EXAMPLES
Body of the ray: Close your fingers and place your hand down
horizontally; saucepan base.
Body of a fusiform fish such as the common dolphin fish: place the
palm of the hand with the fingers together vertically vertically.
Body of the moray eel (ribbon-shaped): wave your arm from one side
to the other; hose or belt.
The scenes should be based on the characteristics of the habitat
described in the story - rock pools, seaweed forests, caves, anemone
gardens, sand plains and the organisms that live there (sea snails,
anemones, limpets, seaweed, sea urchins, seagulls).
To prepare the children and the props, the teacher should provide
materials with different characteristics (e.g. fabric covered with
overlapping spangles to simulate the skin of a typical fish, very fine
sandpaper to simulate the skin of the shark).
4. Find out more
SALMONIDS IN THE CLASSROOM: SALMON DISSECTION
www.pskf.ca/sd
Australian Museum Fish Site
www.amonline.net.au/fishes/students/dissect2/index.htm
Sydney Aquarium
http://www.sydneyaquarium.com.au/AquaSchool/CLA030.asp
Monterey Bay Aquarium
http://www.mbayaq.org/lc/
Australian Museum Fish Site
www.amonline.net.au/fishes/index.cfm
Julian Rocks (Videos)
http://www.julianrocks.net/Video/VideoPlayer.htm
Australian Museum Fish Site (Videos)
http://www.amonline.net.au/fishes/movies/index.cfm
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