Salmon in the Classroom

The Salmon in the classroom program was started by the Central Kitsap Kiwanis Club and the Suquamish Tribe over 20 years ago. It is now run by the Clear Creek Task Force with support from Kitsap County, Kitsap PUD, Kitsap Public Health District, and several other local agencies and groups.

Each January, students from over 30 elementary classrooms begin tending their salmon eggs, donated by the Suquamish Tribe. While observing the salmon grow from egg to alevin to fry, students learn about the salmon life cycle, habitat, and the impact human activity can have on salmon. In March, many of these classes will participate in a field trip to Clear Creek in Silverdale where they will work with local volunteers to release their salmon, plant a tree, test water quality, and examine stream invertebrate.

If you are interested in having your class participate in the Salmon in the Classroom program next year, please contact the Clear Creek Task Force at clearcreektrail@yahoo.com.

Salmon Release Field Trip
Field Trip Sign up: If your class is participating in the Salmon in the Classroom program this year,
please complete the field trip sign up form below.

Once again this year, 11 field trips will be offered to teachers to release their classroom salmon into Clear Creek. The field trips can accommodate 2-3 classes at a time and are available on a first come, first serve basis. Teachers will be responsible for transportation. As in the past, students will rotate through 4 stations
as follows: 

• Salmon Release:  Students release their salmon into Clear Creek and learn about local
  connections to salmon.
     
• Water Quality:  Students learn about water quality testing and how our actions on land can impact the quality of the water in our local streams.
     
• Stream Bugs:  Students learn what else lives in our streams besides salmon and how these critters can tell us about the quality of the water.
     
• Tree Planting:  Students plant a tree and learn why they are so important to our
  environment and salmon.

The dates and times for the field trips are listed below.
All releases will begin at Silverdale Rotary/Skateboard/Dog Park.

Please respond by February 1, 2012 and provide all requested information.  Indicate your top 3 choices using the drop down list in the last column (Choice #).  Then click on Submit. Field trips will be assigned on a first come, first serve basis. You will be contacted when your field trip choice has been confirmed.

Please Note:

Field Trips may not be shortened.  If you can not be there the entire time, do not sign up for that time.

You may find your class will share a field trip with a class from another school due to limited field trip opportunities.

If you have any questions, please email
Pat Kirschbaum
Kitsap County Surface & Stormwater Management Program,
pkirschbaum@co.kitsap.wa.us.  

Kitsap County Public Works                                                                             Updated: 02/02/2012
Surface & Stormwater Management Program
(360) 337-5777 or (800) 825-4940
Kitsap1@co.kitsap.wa.us