Salmon Tank Program

AITRC is excited to partner with Copper River Watershed Project (CRWP) and WISE to support local teachers in bringing salmon education into their classrooms through salmon tank programs. This hands-on experience allows students to witness the early life stages of salmon—a phase that is usually hidden beneath gravel, ice, and snow. For more information, view CRWP's website below.

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Salmon in the Classroom gives students the opportunity to observe salmon development up close while learning about fish biology, habitat, and the environmental conditions salmon need to survive. Through this hands-on program, students care for salmon in classroom tanks and track their growth from egg to fry.

AITRC partners with the Wrangell Institute for Science and Environment (WISE) and the Copper River Watershed Project (CRWP) to support teachers and students throughout the program. Together, we help bring salmon science into the classroom in a way that is interactive, engaging, and locally relevant.

Inspiring the Next Generation of Stewards!

Why?

By engaging in this project, students develop a stronger connection to salmon and their habitat. They learn how temperature affects growth—if the water is too warm, the salmon could grow too quickly and be ready for release before the ice melts. This awareness encourages careful stewardship of local waterways, fostering the next generation of conservation leaders.

Salmon Life Cycle.

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Data collection.

Students participate in real scientific monitoring by collecting and recording data from their classroom tank. This process helps students understand how environmental conditions influence fish growth and survival.

Temperature Monitoring

Water temperature plays an important role in salmon development. Students take daily temperature readings of the tank to ensure conditions remain within a healthy range for the fish. Maintaining cold, stable water helps support normal growth and development.

Accumulated Temperature Units (ATU)

Students track Accumulated Temperature Units (ATU) to better understand how salmon develop over time. ATU is calculated by adding the daily water temperatures together to create a running total.

Fish development is closely tied to temperature. Colder water slows development, while warmer water speeds it up. Tracking ATU allows students to estimate when salmon will move from one life stage to the next.

Example:
If the tank temperature is 40°F for one day, that adds 40 ATUs.
After 10 days at 40°F, the fish would have experienced 400 ATUs.

Tracking ATU helps students connect math, science, and observation skills while learning how environmental factors influence fish biology.

Observation Skills

Students regularly observe fish behavior, appearance, and activity levels. These observations help students notice developmental changes such as:

Egg development and eye formation
Yolk sac size in alevin
First feeding behavior in fry
Changes in movement and activity
Through data collection and observation, students gain experience with scientific thinking and record keeping.

Fry Release!

When spring arrives, students release their salmon fry into carefully selected habitats with minimal impact on wild populations.

They explore these waterways, evaluating:
- Water quality
- Food availability
- Competition and predators