Shellfish Education

Shellfish are not only important to the Cape Cod ecosystem, they are essential to the local economy and have been for thousands of years. In 2019, the Fishermen’s Alliance and partners created a collection of seventeen third-grade interdisciplinary lessons, to take students on a journey to understand these interesting and important mollusks.

The curriculum is framed by the following essential question: How does knowing about shellfish help me understand my community and take an active role in conservation?

In order to answer this question, students become Shellfish Ambassadors to learn as much as they can about shellfish, their habitat and why they are important to their local ecosystem. By the end of the unit, students will understand that:

  • Shellfish are an important part of the ecosystem and economy of Cape Cod
  • Shellfish have lifecycles and needs like other plants and animals
  • Protecting shellfish habitats helps the Cape Cod community

The shellfish curriculum is freely available for teachers to use. It includes background and supporting materials for teachers, lesson plans, student handouts, standards alignment, and a glossary. Supplies for select hands-on lessons are available upon request for Barnstable County schools.

Please contact Melissa with questions.

Download the curriculum from links below:

Shellfish Unit-Overview & Lesson Plans

Shellfish Unit- Student Handouts

Shellfish Unit-Glossary

 

 

shellfish-education