Wildlife Forever sponsors a yearly fish art contest. This contest is open to kids in grades kindergarten through 12. Homeschoolers are welcomed to enter. What makes this contest different than most is that a free conservation curriculum is offered in order to help students with their artwork.
The focus of the art contest is to bring aquatic conservation into the classroom. Students will learn about fish species, behavior, and habitat. Students will create a portfolio on a fish that is native to their state. This portfolio is used to help the student create a 9” by 11” drawing and a one-page essay. The drawing and the essay are the items entered into the contest.
Fish-On is the lesson plan for the contest. Homeschool parents or teachers can request a free CD or the entire lesson plan can be downloaded from the Wildlife Forever website.
Contest entries are due by March 31, 2013. Entries are grouped into four grade categories: kindergarten through third grade, forth through sixth grade, seventh through ninth grade and grades 10 through 12. Every child who enters receives a certificate of recognition for all of the hard work they put into creating their entry.
Homeschoolers can take the free lesson plan and expand on it to incorporate an entire unit study. The artwork and essay are just the beginning. Plan a homeschool field trip to a local fish hatchery, have older students request job shadowing from a Dept. of Natural Resources official or Game and Fish official, go on a fishing trip, and tour a bait and tackle shop.
The contest is a yearly event, always due on March 31. Why not incorporate environmental sciences and conservation as part of your homeschool lesson plans. Even if you decide not to enter the contest, the curriculum is free and makes a great addition to your homeschool day.
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