Trout in the Classroom

A flagship program of Trout Unlimited's Youth Education efforts, Trout (or Salmon) in the Classroom (TIC or SIC) offers students of all ages a chance to raise salmonids in a classroom setting and then release them into a nearby stream or river.  Caring for the fish starts to foster a conservation ethic in the students, and the act of walking to a streambank and directly releasing the fingerlings into the water makes a concrete connection between caring for the fish and caring for the water.

TIC and SIC Are for Students of All Ages

Any teacher in any classroom can make TIC or SIC relevant to his or her classroom curriculum.  In kindergarten, the focus can be on caring, on growth, on understanding life cycles, and on the seasons.  A high school program might explore water chemistry, the nitrogen cycle, natural resource management, and watershed geology and ecology.  For this reason, TU does not provide one standard curriculum—rather, we offer an ever-growing online lesson plan library. [1]  Teachers across the country share their tried-and-true activity ideas, which are arranged by subject.

Why do TIC or SIC?

Because TIC brings nature into the classroom, it allows students to develop a personal bond and sense of the conservation ethics that are at the core of TU's mission.  Across the country, TU staff and volunteers in 35 states are involved in more than 500 TIC and SIC projects, which is a large fraction of the 2,000+ TIC and SIC projects in the United States.

I am a teacher, parent, or student.  How do I start a program?

Your first step would be to get in touch with your local chapter of TU or your state TIC coordinator.  You are welcome to use this web form [2], and our staff will help you connect with your local TIC or SIC program.  Be sure to explore www.troutintheclassroom.org [3] to learn more.

I am a volunteer.  How do I get involved?

Definitely contact your TU chapter president.  If your chapter is not active in TIC or SIC, contact your state council leadership.  There is a good chance someone in your state is doing the program already, and you can help expand their efforts.  If you'd like, feel free to use our web for [2]m, and our staff will help you.  Be sure to explore www.troutintheclassroom.org [3] to learn more.

For the few states in which TIC and SIC are not allowed, TU works with an alternate program, Adopt-a-Trout [4], which has also been very successful.

For more information, contact tic@tu.org. [5]