FISH School—Fostering Innovative Science through Herring counts at Schools
This program engages students in grades 1st through 12th and their educators in locally place-based scientific learning by connecting students to the remarkable river herring migration and the science behind it using technology, data gathering and analysis, and a new curriculum that supports STEM education. This innovative program combines technology with classroom sessions to teach students about science by engaging them as citizen scientists in counting river herring during herring migration. River herring include alewives and blueback herring. These fish migrate every year to freshwater to spawn and are a keystone species as other species depend on them as a significant source of food. Their migrations highlight important environmental issues for the connectivity and health of local river systems.
FISH School empowers students to become virtual citizen scientists to help count migrating fish through an online web-portal. This approach involves using advanced video and online technology to capture images of fish migrating by placing an underwater video camera at the top of a fish ladder to document fish as they pass by. The video is then uploaded to an online server. We anticipate participants will become more knowledgeable about science and technology and better stewards of nature through this meaningful educational experience.
This program is made possible by a grant from Battelle
FISH School Curriculum
Supplemental short videos that include more in depth detail related to their specific town:
In 2025, we delivered 25 programs in 16 schools engaging 1,995 students in NSRWA River Herring Education!
- Bryantville Elementary
- North Pembroke Elementary
- Academy Ave. in Weymouth
- Kingston Intermediate
- Nash Elementary in Weymouth
- Pingree Elementary in Weymouth
- Whitman Middle School
- Rogers Middle School in Rockland
- Cushing Elementary in Scituate
- Hanover Middle School
- Hobomock in Pembroke
- Jenkins Elementary in Scituate
- Hanover High School
- Wampatuck Elementary in Scituate
- Plymouth River School in Hingham
- Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
- Plymouth River School in Hingham
If you and/or your school would like to participate in this program, contact NSRWA’s Environmental Educator Brian Taylor brian@nsrwa.org
