A Goldfish

Several years ago I was lucky enough to have had a parent who set up a fish tank for our class and for the orange "cherry on top", gave us a beautiful fat goldfish (soon after named Sally). Here is a video of the actual Sally in action in our classroom. She quickly became loved by all of us, and served as a READER FISH, listening to read aloud books that students deemed meaningful for her. Two of her favorite books were Not Norman and Memoirs of a Goldfish.

Everyday students read to Sally, building their fluency and confidence in their oral reading skills. They also built up a meaningful schema and vocabulary around goldfish and their care. The fish tank and Sally also served as a Science Center, a place where small groups or individuals could observe, sketch, write, and talk about Sally. Everyone had their very own Sally journal to fill as they saw fit. Fish have personalities and they are really cool to watch.  I highly recommend a fish tank in your class if ever a possibility, it clearly enhances the environment,