Mr. Rice,
Liberty Drive Elementary School is interested in
conserving native fish and educating our students about the beauty of native
fish and the need for maintaining and developing clean habitat for fish throug
the Adopt-A-Tank Program.
As we discussed on the phone - we'd like to set up
four tanks. Three would have wild-caught small species of local fish while
the fourth would have a variety of madtoms (a species once plentiful here, but
no longer found widely). Our local manufacturing company, Thomasville
Furniture Industries, has agreed to supply us with funds for fish food, dip
nets, and the purchase of appropriate water for setups. Our school
has applied for a "Project Tommorrow" State grant for books for our media center
about fish and ecological conservation. Would Adopt-A-Tank and its
sponsors be able to supply the four tanks, hoods, filters and gravel? And
advice, of course. We may not have thought of everything yet that we need
and would appreciate your counsel.
Our school serves 687 students in third, fourth and
fifth grades. Approximately 80 students in four fourth grade classes will
hands-on work with the aquariums and inhabitants. However, our plan is to
locate the aquariums so that other classes will have access for observation
activties. The four classes that are caring for the aquariums will be
integrationg the setup, care, maintenance and observations into math, science
and writing lessons. Fourth Grade in North Carolina focuses on the state's
history, geography and cultural issues. The setup and care of aquariums of
local fish is perfect for social studies activities in the area of local and
state-wide environmental issues.
I appreciate the existance of the Native Fish
Conservancy and the Adopt-A-Tank program. Through this activity many
children and families in Thomasville, North Carolina can learn the importance of
saving our home. So many activities in school are abstract and have an
artificial distance about them. With Adopt-A-Tank our students' cries of
"Save the Rainforest" will change to "Save Our
Forests...Lands...Wildlife."
This program is endorsed and supported by our
school principal, Mrs. Rosa McRae.
Sincerely,
Donna Sink
Media Coordinator
Liberty Drive Elementary School
401 Liberty Drive
Thomasville, NC
27360