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Go Fish: A Hands-On Lesson on Fisheries

Provided by: EarthEcho International |Published on: November 26, 2025

Lesson Plans

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Synopsis

In this lesson from EarthEcho International, students will understand sustainable seafood and why it is important to make sustainable choices as a consumer.
Students will play a game as if they are fishing for seafood, while chance events determine how prosperous they are.
Teachers will need 30 minutes for gameplay and reflection. This does not include the time it takes to explain the game.

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Subjects: Biology

Authors: EarthEcho International

Region: Global

Languages: English

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Teaching Materials

Positives

The provided log gives students space to think deeper about the game and how it is connected to real life.
Because the events in the game are determined by chance, early finishers can play another round to see how things can go differently.

Prerequisites

Students should have a general idea about sustainability and the importance of making sustainable choices.
Teachers will need to print the cards and logs ahead of time and prepare colored cards or candy, depending on their preference.

Differentiation & Implementation

This activity has a focus on individual choices. Teachers can extend this activity to get students thinking about systems and policies to solve the problem with this Tragedy of the Commons activity.
To make connections to climate change, teachers can explain how climate change impacts the oceans and, in turn, fish populations, making sustainable seafood choices all the more important.
Teachers can use this activity to make connections to the Sustainable Development Goals, noting, in particular, the relationship between SDG 12, Responsible Consumption and Production, and SDG 14, Life Below Water.
To make connections to their community, students can research local seafood options or what is available at their grocery store. Students can create a guide for sustainable seafood shopping to share with community members.

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About the Partner Provider

EarthEcho International

EarthEcho International envisions a world where every individual has the opportunity and tools to create a healthy and thriving environment. To that end, their mission is to build a global youth movement to protect and restore our ocean planet. Their Academy is a new virtual learning space developed to provide online courses for teacher professional learning with access to fully remote, asynchronous environmental education modules for students.

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All resources can be used for your educational purposes with proper attribution to the content provider.