Escalante Elementary’s combined 1st and 2nd grade class is participating in a program called “Trout in the Classroom” led by educator Maggie McAndrews. McAndrews got the idea to participate in the program while teaching in South Carolina from a Department of Natural Resources workshop. She loved the idea and wanted to involve her students here in Utah.
Escalante 1st and 2nd grades are the only students in Southern Utah raising fish.
Students raise the rainbow trout in an aquarium in their classroom, and when the time comes will release them into Wide Hollow Reservoir with the assistance of Trout in the Classroom liaison, Chad Jones of Utah State Parks.
The class began with 250-300 trout eggs from the DWR J. Perry Egan Fish Hatchery in Bicknell. McAndrews reports that the average number of fish released in the wild through the program is 40-70 per batch. Currently the class has over 100 trout in a 55-gallon aquarium, but according to McAndrews, “some smaller trout might naturally die as they would in the wild, but we expect to have the average amount or more to release!”
Through this environmental education program, students make a concrete connection between caring for the fish and caring for the water. This project isn’t just about raising fish. McAndrews explained that Trout in the Classroom provides teachers with training and lesson plans in all subject areas for grades K-12.
Taped to the back of the aquarium was a paper background. “In the 1st-2nd grade classroom, the students created the aquarium background together — each drawing a picture of a living and non-living thing in the trouts’ natural habitat,” McAndrews said. “The students record weekly observations. They keep illustrations and write about trout development during the different stages.
“Recently, the class learned how to siphon out 10% of the water each week, and replace it with tap water (treated to be safe for trout). Students also feed the fish in the morning and afternoon—monitoring how much food to add based on how much they are eating.”
Elsie, one of McAndrews’ students, reported on the class project.
“Ms. McAndrews, my teacher, went to the fish hatchery to get rainbow trout eggs. She brought 300 fish eggs to our class, and then some of the trout eggs died. Ms. McAndrews got the eggs so that we can feed them and take care of them until we free them into the reservoir.
“We feed the fish. We replace the dirty water with fresh water. We learn about the fish’s fins — that is how the fish can swim. I like that their fins are white. We look in the tank and can see the fish get bigger. The fish are a little pink and they have black and brown dots. We write about the fish and tell others in the school about them.
“I like learning about the fish because baby fish are cute. When the fish get really big we will release them and I will feel sad. I will miss the fish. Thank you for having fish in our class, Ms. McAndrews!”
– by Elsie M. and Mom
Feature image caption: Students closely monitor the the growth of their trout in the 1st & 2nd grade classroom aquarium, Escalante Elementary, March 3, 2025.