Aquariums are no longer just a basement hobby
enjoyed by a select few; their appeal has extended to office workers,
restaurateurs and those who are looking for a beautiful home, with a new found
appreciation for the beauty and tranquility of aquariums having entered the
public consciousness.
As a parent, you might also have seen their
potential to act as a fantastic hands-on-teaching tool in the classroom and at
home. Setting up an aquarium provides children of all ages with the opportunity
to learn directly through real-life experiences rather than just abstract
principles. Caring for an aquarium kindles a child’s sense of responsibility
and achievement, and teaches them that there are consequences to the way they
behave, and the things they do and don’t do. A desire to care for another
living being also fosters a genuine desire to learn in order to benefit another
being with their knowledge and expertise. As a parent or teacher, an aquarium
offers you a unique opportunity to educate a receptive audience in a fun and
interactive manner. If you’re interested in encouraging and developing an
interest in reading, writing, critical thinking and science, consider setting
up a special ‘teaching aquarium’ in your home.
Reading
Some children read voraciously, but others tend to
have more ‘selective’ reading habits, which means that if you want them to
read, then you have to find something that they’re interested in for them to
read about. If you can get your children passionate about fish keeping, then
there are a wide variety of aquarium-related topics for them to research and read
about, such as fish species, plants and reefs. This can help to foster good
reading habits in children who may not otherwise be interested in reading.
Writing
Ask your children to write reports or daily journal
entries about the fish in their aquarium. For younger children, get them to
write to the fish. Slightly older pupils can be made to write letters to
aquatic experts with their questions, which you can then research together.
These are all great ways to sharpen grammar and writing skills.
Developing
Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills
Get your children/pupils to keep a log of data from
their aquarium, such as measurements of water temperature, pH, and ammonia and
nitrate levels. By charting or graphing the results they can look for trends
which coincide with events in the aquarium. Even sad events, such as the loss
of a fish, can be an opportunity to discuss possible causes and effects. You
can encourage a proactive response to their upset by looking for preventions
and ways to improve existing conditions, stopping it from happening again. The
educational opportunities are endless.
Science
Biology, chemistry, ecology and physics are just a
few of the sciences involved in aquarium keeping. If you home-school your
children, use a classroom aquarium to teach your children about specific topics
such as fish anatomy, or more complex areas such as the
food chain, the water cycle or
the nitrogen cycle.
Bringing
Children and Parents Together
Make your child’s fish-keeping experience fun as
well as educational, to increase their interest in it. A great way to do this
is to let them decorate
the aquarium themselves, exploring
their creative side. Your children/students will not only develop learning
skills, but a passion which makes them eager to orate and discuss their
interest with family members and friends.
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