FISHO

Objective: Students will become familiar with the names of fish and learn about fish habitat.

Materials: FISHO game cards (card 1, card 2, card 3, card 4, card 5, card 6, card 7, card 8, card
9, card 10, card 11, card 12, card 13, card 14, card 15, card 16, card 17, card 18, card 19, card
20, card 21, card 22, card 23, card 24, card 25, card 26), water base markers (such as overhead
projector pen, optional), FISHO answer key

Background: Fisheries exist in South Dakota in many places such as the Black Hills, prairie
streams, stock dams, the Missouri River and its reservoirs, lakes and other rivers. Lakes and
streams of the Black hills support some of the best trout populations in the state. Small dam
fishing across the state has been attractive to anglers who look for opportunities relatively
close to home. The Missouri River has supported record walleye catches throughout the years.
Expanded habitat in the State's lakes has supported record walleye catches throughout the
years. Expanded habitat in the State's lakes (due to high levels of water in recent years) have
increased fisheries opportunities for everyone.

Procedure:
This game is played just like "Bingo". Teacher will need to make copies of FISHO cards or
laminate the set to be used again. If cards are laminated, students can use a water based
marker for keeping score on their card.

Teacher should cut apart all the blocks from the answer key pages and put in a container from
which to draw from later.

Distribute a FISHO card to each student. Instruct the class that the game is played with the
same rules as Bingo, in that you are a winner when you have marked off a line of blocks either
up and down (in the same row), horizontally or diagonally across the card. Please make a note
of the "fish-free zone" space as their "free" space.

Teacher will draw from the container and call out the first answer block. Remember to read the
entire block, as it is important to note which category the fish is listed under. Fish names are
repeated throughout the cards.

Make note of each block that is called on the board or on a piece of paper.

The student who gets five in a row first wins. (Note: another suggested play would be to have
students fill up their entire card - first one to do so, wins!)

Have student read back their winning row and double check against your record.

Extensions:
Have students write about the litter they've found around and in the area where they like to
fish. One good method of gaining perspective of how litter affects wildlife is to write from a
specific point of view, for example: how a blue gill, northern pike or trout might describe the
affects of litter and pollution on their livelihood. After completing their essays, have them give
suggestions on how they would eliminate the pollution of their chosen site or one of their
classmates. As a furtherance of this extension, compile a list of polluted areas and the
students' suggestions for cleanup and submit to the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources in the state capitol.

Invite a local outdoor writer or fisheries professional to speak to your class or to be
interviewed by your students. Have students put together a fisheries newsletter with the
interview of the visitor as a main article. Encourage students to do some research on the
Internet to find jokes, puzzles, games, etc. that can be added to the newsletter. Distribute
throughout the school.

Visit a fish hatchery. Arrange for a tour in advance with the hatchery manager in advance so
your class may have access to areas and information not otherwise available. Ask to see if there
are any hands-on activities that your class could do (such as egg-taking and fertilization,
assisting with stocking fish, etc.).

Vocabulary Glossary:
Edible: Something that can be eaten
Endangered: A species that are in danger of dying out or being eliminated in some other way
Habitat: A place where something lives (i.e., fish in water)
Native: A species that resides in a specific place and spends generations doing so