Through a partnership with the Oak Brook Chapter of Trout Unlimited, select eighth grade students from Grissom and Prairie View middle schools raised brown trout from eggs to fingerlings in a classroom tank. Students were responsible for care of the fish and the daily monitoring of water quality in the tank. Guest speakers rounded out the unit by helping students learn about the trout, their habitat, and the impact that humans can have on the natural environment.
Both projects culminated with trips to release the young trout into Kinnikinnick Creek, a natural trout stream in the Kinnikinnick Creek Conservation Area. On the release trip, students explored the stream environment, looked for other natural inhabitants such as insects and plant life, and compared water quality of the stream to the classroom tank.