This interactive crossword puzzle examines the life cycle of Chinook Salmon, the habitats of Chinook Salmon, and the impact humans have on this species.
Students will learn about the migration of Chinook Salmon, the spawning process, how dams disrupt the life cycle of this species, and how fish hatcheries can help offset the disturbance caused by dams.
Teaching Tips
Positives
This game has a fun mix of earth science and biology.
Students can have up to 8 or 9 letters revealed to them while solving the puzzle.
Additional Prerequisites
The text for the "M" word at the top is incorrect.
It may help students to know specific information about salmon before doing this crossword. Consider having students do some of all of the lessons in this resource first.
Differentiation
This game could supplement a similar lesson where students evaluate fish hatcheries, the potential of hatcheries to reduce negative human impacts on fish life cycles, and what hatchery practices should be the standard in order to help fish populations thrive.
After playing the game, the teacher could engage students in a classroom discussion about all of the ways marine wildlife can be protected. Consider having students research Mission Blue.
For ELLs, it may be useful to define some words before these students play the game.
Students could compare the information in this game with what they learned in a science textbook that discusses human impacts and dam construction on fish populations.
Scientist Notes
This resource is a crossword puzzle that has words related to Chinook Salmon and their lifecycle. The clues have an associated picture and the clues define the word. Each clue also has a sentence where the answer fills in the blank space in the sentence. The words are specific to Chinook salmon and fish lifecycles and habitats. This game would be a good activity to supplement a lesson but does not provide information beyond definitions. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Standards
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
HS-ESS3-4 Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems.
LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
MS-LS2-4 Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.
Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)
Language (K-12)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words or phrases based on grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
Reading: Science & Technical Subjects (6-12)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.7 Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., quantitative data, video, multimedia) in order to address a question or solve a problem.
