Grades 4-7 Educational Resources
Interactions in the environment, survival and reproduction and natural selection are some of the big concepts for Grade 4-7 science education. We encourage you to use these sturgeon resources to bring a local example to your classroom.
We always appreciate feedback and ideas on how to improve on and add to our resource library. Please email us with your comments and ideas.
Click on the resource link buttons, or on the image below each section to get to the resource.
For the Classroom
Classroom Calendar 2023-2024 Grade 4-7
- This calendar keeps your class engaged throughout the school year. Please bookmark the Classroom Calendar and refer back to it regularly to links to activities, resources, websites and videos to support learning.
- If you want to show how big the Nechako Watershed is, or need help in pointing out different communities in the region, use this map on your Smartboard. It shows where Nechako white sturgeon live in the watershed.
- Great graphic timeline takes your class from the age of the dinosaurs to today, linking sturgeon evolution and life cycle to major events through time in our region.
- This handy Nature Guide to the Nechako Valley is a great resource to take with you on field trips, or to have on hand in the classroom. The guide covers all the different habitats in the Nechako Valley, from forests to agricultural lands and wetlands, and talks about some of the species you'll find in each habitat. Students can use it as a research guide or for inspiration to learn more about our local environment.
- This resource is also available as a hardcopy for you. Please reach out to your school principal to copies, or email us! Shown below.
Videos
The NWSRI has a growing library of videos about sturgeon, including our own YouTube Channel! Please Subscribe to our Youtube Channel to stay connected when we publish new videos.
Every Sturgeon Counts
Every Sturgeon Counts focuses on First Nations and sturgeon, the Boat Kit Program, conservation and habitat of sturgeon. Download the video resource sheet to help you navigate the content of the video. We encourage educators to view the video before showing to young learners to ensure the content is at a level suited for you students.
- Every Sturgeon Counts: Video Link Resource Sheet
Sturgeon Series
This video series has content that would support educators of young learners to understand Nechako White Sturgeon better. The content of these videos was geared more for older student, and may be too advanced for Kindergarten to Grade 3 students. We encourage educators to watch the videos to learn about sturgeon and find the ares that their students would benefit from.
- Video 1: Conservation Centre Overview - Video Link Resource Sheet Grades 4-7
- Video 2: Spawning, Life Cycle, and Sturgeon Release - Video Link Resource Sheet Grades 4-7
- Video 3: Watershed, History and Human Impacts on Sturgeon - Video Link Resource Sheet Grades 4-7
- Video 4: Predation-What is eating sturgeon? - Video Link Resource Sheet Grades 4-7
- Video 5: Changes in the Watershed - Video Link Resource Sheet Grades 4-7
- Video 6: Recovery of the Nechako White Sturgeon Population - Video Link Resource Sheet Grades 4-7
- Video 7: Monitoring Programs - Video Link Resource Sheet Grades 4-7
- Video 8: Nechako White Sturgeon in the Winter - Video Link Resource Sheet Grades 4-7
- Video 9: Life Cycle (animated) - Video Link Resource Sheet Grades 4-7
- Video 10: Sturgeon Hatchery (animated) - NEW for 2023 - Video Link Resource Sheet Grades 4-7
- Video 11: The Nechako Watershed (animated) - NEW for 2024 - Video Link
Supplementary Resources
These one-page resources have activity ideas, add additional information about a specific topic, and lead to additional learning.
Fish Culture - Work at the Conservation Centre
Sturgeon Curriculum
The fully developed Sturgeon Curriculum is a comprehensive program that covers all aspects of sturgeon biology and ecology plus lessons and information on the Nechako Watershed, land use impacts and riparian zones.
The curriculum includes: Background materials, Presentations, Lesson Plans, Activity Sheets, Answer Keys, Field Trip suggestions, and suggestions for Inquiry projects.
The Presentations are PDF slideshows that can be viewed on your Smartboard or on any computer. Download them to save for later or to share.
The Lessons include background information along with activities and links to additional resources.
Unit 1 - Introduction and Overview
If you only have a short amount of time to dedicate to sturgeon, but you want to touch on the main areas of conservation for sturgeon, then complete Unit 1 of this curriculum. It provides a good overview of sturgeon and watersheds.
Presentations
Introduction to Nechako White Sturgeon
Introduction to the Nechako Watershed
Lessons
1-1: Intro to NWS
1-2: Intro to the Nechako Watershed
Unit 2 - Watersheds, Riparian Zones and Land Use
Presentations
Lessons
2-1: Watersheds SmartBoard Activity: Watershed Definitions
2-2: Riparian Zones
2-3: Biodiversity
2-4: Habitat and Humans
2-5: Recovery and Rehabilitation
2-6: Field Trip Ideas
Unit 3 - Sturgeon Biology
Presentations
Lessons and Activity Sheets
3-1: External Anatomy
3-2: Life Cycle
Venn Diagram for Salmon and Sturgeon Life Cycles
3-3: Habitat
Crossword
3-4: Sturgeon Decline
3-5: Guest Speaker Ideas
3-6: 'Day in the Life' Lessons and Project
Outside and Field Trips
Field Kit (for loan)
We have a Field Kit available on loan to teachers in SD91. This kit is great for in-classroom as well as outdoor classroom lessons on sturgeon biology and life history, stream health, and aquatic invertebrates. Appropriate for all grade levels. Click here to see the list of items in the kit.
Storm Drain Painting
The Storm Drain Painting program is a great way to get kids outside doing hands-on habitat stewardship work for sturgeon, other fish and fish habitat. Stencils, paint and other supplies are available to teachers who want to take their students out to paint storm drains in their community. Contact info@nechakowhitesturgeon.org to organize. Read more about this program on the Storm Drain page.
Hatchery Tour
Feel free to stop by the Nechako White Sturgeon Conservation Centre or book at tour, to more about sturgeon biology, the hatchery and the watershed by circulating through the outdoor information signs.
Interpretive Signs
The NWSRI has a collection of interpretive signs throughout the watershed, in different locations on Fraser Lake, Stuart Lake and the Nechako River. View these interpretive signs to help you plan your next field trip. The interpretive signs at the NWS Conservation Centre provide a general overview of many of the aspects related to sturgeon aquaculture, the hatchery, the Nechako watershed and sturgeon biology.