Run, Salmon, Run!

Reflections & Conclusions

• 1.How many fish survived? Graph the number of fish who survived for each player to the spawning grounds and returned to the ocean.
• 2.Although this game has been played a number of times, it is still in draft form. Consider whether the starting number should be changed to either a smaller or larger number. Likewise, should each surviving salmon give rise to a greater or lesser number of offspring? These are questions we would like you to answer to help us modify or improve the game
• 3.Did you know that the salmon die after spawning. Why did the salmon have to remain in the spawning area for several turns? Did this represent something in nature?

After Game Discussion, Wrap Up & Reflections:
Would you write about your experience? We would like to post your graphs showing how many salmon made it to the spawning grounds. Then we may post some of these graphs in order to compare other's results! Although you may not understand how to AVERAGE your results, what would a "normal" or "typical" numberof surviving be? Did you not have ANY salmon make it? What would have happened if one or two of the hazards would have been removed. Want to try that to compare a "cleaner" environment to the one we used. Do "feel" the plight of the salmon. What might it be like to be a salmon? How many of the salmon's problems of survival are "natural" and how many are caused by intrusion of human enterprise or activity? How could some of the problems be lessened? What about your own creeks, rivers, lakes and streams? Do fish have a good chance to survive?

We would like you to write from the salmon's point of view, then post your letters at this site. These can be diary type letters with pictures, which can be sent to the California Fish and Game, or e-mailed to Cory Wisnia at cwisnia@mcn.org, who will post them at his site in Mendocino (http://www.mcn.org/ed/cur/cw/RSR.html) or at S.C.O.R.E. Or you can post them using the RESULTS section of this salmon site! Thanks for contributing!

Come up with an environmental plan which will be reasonable but assist in the survival of this important species. What would happen if one or two of the unnatural hazards were removed or lessoned? Which ones would YOU choose? Let us know by using the RESULTS form, then try it out and report back.

Other Internet-Related Extensions Find out more information at the CERES salmon site: http://www.ceres.ca.gov/topic/salmon/salmon.html to report back to class members.

You can research another Endangered Species using some of the internet links listed under the RESOURCES and BACKGROUND section. You may want to try to make up your OWN Endangered Species game using this activity as a model. If so, perhaps share your ideas by e-mail through this site. How is the plight of your chosen animal or plant similar or different from the salmon?

If you have a fishery or fish restoration site, visit and report back to us. What is being done there to help the fish of your area?

If you wish to draw pictures of the salmon or make "Save the Salmon" posters to share with others, we would also like copies, or send them to Fish & Game. You can use an illustrative program such as Clarisworks painting tool. can send their images to this site over the internet for publication. If you have a eudora mail system you can send us the file as an attachment, or put it on disc and send via snail mail to: Cory Wisnia, POB 421 Mendocino CA 95460. It must be a Mac disc though since that is what we use.

You can also fill out the RESULTS form which is on-line, to send through the internet (see RESULTS section) and share with other schools.

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