Students have raised 450 to 500 trout in the classroom since December, and released them into the Charles River on April 8. (Photo Courtesy Medfield Public Schools) 
Students raised brook trout from eggs during the winter, studied their physical traits and habitats, and then released them into approved rivers and streams in the spring. (Photo Courtesy Medfield Public Schools) 
Thomas Blake Middle School seventh graders recently participated in a trout release program. (Photo Courtesy Medfield Public Schools) 
Front to back: Students Owen Kelly, Tyler Marshall,Teddy Molloy, and Joe Kidd release trout into the Charles River on April 8. (Photo Courtesy Medfield Public Schools)
MEDFIELD — Superintendent Jeffrey Marsden and Principal Nat Vaughn are pleased to announce that Thomas Blake Middle School seventh graders recently participated in a trout release program.
Students have raised 450 to 500 trout in the classroom since December, and released them into the Charles River on April 8.
As part of the program, implemented in 2013, students raise brook trout from eggs during the winter, study their physical traits and habitats, and then release them into approved rivers and streams in the spring.
Trout in the Classroom is a national program run through Trout Unlimited that teaches students about their local watersheds and environment. Locally, Teaching with Trout is a program of the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife that teaches students about water quality and habitat health, introduces conservation concepts related to local aquatic resources, and more.
Students began setting up a tank habitat in November to prepare for the trout’s arrival. The eggs hatched approximately one week later. Students made weekly observations on various aspects of the fish such as physical characteristics, stage of development. and activity levels.
Students also recorded the water quality results during regular testing of the tank water. Regular testing for ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, and pH levels solidifies lessons about water quality and allows students to make necessary adjustments to the tank water during class.
Through this initiative, students are able to engage in conversations about the role of indicator species like trout in assessing ecosystem health, and specifics of trout habitat, life cycle, and water quality characteristics.
The initial tank and supplies were provided through grants from the Medfield Coalition for Public Education (MCPE) and the local chapter of Trout Unlimited. Currently, the program’s supplies are funded through the science department budget.
“The trout release project is a great hands-on learning opportunity for students,” Principal Vaughn said. “The program allows them to get involved in the community in a unique way while also teaching about local ecosystems. Directly caring for the fish helps them build connections between what they’re learning in the classroom and how it applies to the environment.”
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