# the Institute for Applied Ecology

> Briefs, arguments, decisions, and more.

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/tribal%3Aconfederated_siletz%3A0759c2d587ef4b0d

## Record

- **Collection:** Tribal code
- **Document type:** Tribal code

## Text

e
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6th

Estuaries
Curriculum

Produced by
the Institute for Applied Ecology
for the
Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians

6th Grade
Estuaries Ecology Curriculum
Curriculum Credits
Lesson Plans 1-3 & 5 written by:
Tyler Knapp
Lesson Plan 4 written by:
Dionne Mejia
Graphic Design:
Tyler Knapp
Content Editors:
Stacy Moore
Dionne Mejia
Illustrations:
Amanda Devine
Jody Einerson
Barbara Gleason
Tyler Knapp
Ella Samuel
Robert Edwards Carter Stearns
Hilary Stewart
Kelley Tom
Photographs:
All photos are public domain unless otherwise noted
Created With Financial Support From:
Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians
201 S.E. Swan Avenue PO Box 549 Siletz, OR 97380
(541) 444-2532 http://ctsi.nsn.us/
Produced by:
Institute for Applied Ecology
563 SW Jefferson Ave. Corvallis, OR 97333
(541) 753-3099 www.appliedeco.org
©2019 Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians

Introduction
The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians
The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians (CTSI) Is a confederation of many bands and
Tribes, each with their own language and customs,
whose ancestral homelands include all of Western
Oregon from what is now Northern California
north to the Columbia River and from the summit
of the Cascades to the Pacific.
The 1.1 million-acre Siletz Reservation was
set aside by President Pierce on Nov. 9, 1855, to
reserve a permanent home for Tribes that had
ceded approximately 19 million acres of their
lands to the U.S. government under treaty agreements. After the people were relocated to the
Siletz Reservation, the seven ratified treaties of
the Willamette, Umpqua and Rogue Valley Tribes
were ignored. The 1855 Coast Treaty was not ratified, but the Tribes held to its terms without the
United States fulfilling its promises.
By 1875, more than 900,000 acres of the
Siletz Reservation had been taken and opened to
settlement without treaty agreement, recognition
of rights or compensation. Starvation, violence,
abuse, exposure, depression, epidemics, boarding
schools and unscrupulous Indian agents took their
toll. The effects of the 1887 Allotment Act continued to reduce the Siletz Tribe’s sovereign jurisdiction, lands and resources.
Finally in 1954, Congress passed the Western Oregon Termination Act, severed Tribal relations and
took the last scattered parcels from Tribal members. Still, the Siletz people and culture endured.
On Nov. 18, 1977, after years of effort, the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians became the second
“terminated” Tribe in the nation and the first in Oregon to be “restored” to federally recognized Tribal status
by Act of Congress. In 1980, a modest land base consisting primarily of timberlands was re-established by
passage of the Siletz Reservation Act. With the Tribe’s restoration began decades of growth. The Siletz Tribe
now has a strong Tribal government to manage its resources, oversee and implement the many programs and
services offered to Tribal members as well as an expanding variety of job opportunities. Committed to serving
their people, the ninemember Siletz Tribal Council is the elected governing body of the Siletz Tribe.
Since Restoration, the Tribe has progressed from Bureau of Indian Affairs management to PL 93-638
contracting and finally to status as a self governance Tribe, allowing the Tribe to design and manage its own
programs specifically addressing the needs of the Tribal membership. As a result, services to Tribal members
are more efficiently managed and new programs have been developed.
The Siletz Tribe’s land holdings total more than 15,000 acres, the majority of which lie in Lincoln and
Douglas counties, with smaller parcels in Marion, Lane and Multnomah counties. Tribal headquarters and administrative offices are located in Siletz. Satellite offices in Eugene, Salem and Portland provide a variety of services to Siletz Tribal members within an 11-county service area that includes Lincoln, Tillamook, Linn, Benton,
Lane, Yamhill, Polk, Marion, Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties in northwestern Oregon.
For more information about CTSI visit www.ctsi.nsn.us and read The People are Dancing Again: The History of
iii
the Siletz Tribes of Western Oregon by Charles Wilkinson (2010, University of Washington Press).

Siletz Dee-Ni Language
Each lesson includes Siletz Dee-Ni vocabulary words. Dee-Ni is part of the Athabaskan language group,
and is one of many dialects. These dialects vary from region to region and even from village to village. In
pre-contact times the area a person hailed from would be recognized by the dialect they spoke in. After being
brought to the Siletz Reservation there were five major languages spoken there. The major language stocks
were Athabaskan, Hokan, Penutian, Sahaptin, and Salish. Chinook Jargon became the language that different
speakers used to communicate with as well as English. With the passage of time each successive generation
found itself with an ever smaller pool of speakers. When the Siletz Tribes were Terminated by the Federal
Government in the 1950’s, the Tribal Government was disbanded and their lands sold, their people were dispersed far and wide. Their languages went unspoken except among Elders. It would take another 20 years and
the Restoration of Tribal Status to rekindle any hope of Language Restoration. Following a tribal wide assessment beginning in 1996, it was discovered that they had lost more than 90 percent of the ability to speak the
native language Athabaskan. The Tribe has made a concentrated effort to address this loss. In 2003 the Tribe
made a commitment to the preservation of traditional arts and language by establishing a permanent position
in the Culture Department, Traditional Arts and Language Specialist. Many linguistic archival materials have
been used to guide the language teachings at the community language classes, Nuu Wee-ya (Our Words).
The website for the Siletz Tribal Language Project http://www.siletzlanguage.org/ includes many resources for learning Dee-Ni, including a talking dictionary, videos, and language lesson plans for all grade
levels.

The Institute for Applied Ecology

Founded in 1999, the Institute for Applied Ecology (IAE) is a non-profit organization established to provide
a service to public and private agencies and individuals by developing and communicating information on
ecosystems and effective management strategies. IAE offers habitat restoration services complete with habitat
management plans, site preparation, maintenance and monitoring. Our Native Seed Network connects buyers
and sellers of native seed while our Conservation and Research division conducts native ecosystem research
and monitoring and provides surveys for rare plants. The Ecological Education Program provides opportunities
for K-12 students, teachers and the adult community in place-based education and service learning projects.

Organization of Curriculum:
The curriculum is designed to be a complete unit of study. We understand that many teachers are unable to
commit to the entire unit of study, so lessons can also be used individually. All lessons start with an overview
of the lesson, time estimate, teacher preperation tips, learning objectives, materials needed, and the 6th grade
Next Generation Science Standards that are met. The vocabulary speech bubble includes English as well as
Siletz Dee-Ni words. The “background information” section gives teachers the necessary knowledge to teach
the lesson, while the “teacher directions” give step by step instructions for leading each activity. The last page
of every lesson includes an “in the field!” section that suggests ways to integrate student studies into field trips
or service-learning projects. The “science inquiry” section offers opporunities for further scientific inquiry
as homework assignments or extensions of the lessons’ activities. The “reflection” bubble offers questions to
ask students at the end of each lesson, which can be useful for class discussions or journal writing. The “assessment” circle gives three challenge questions to assess how well the learning objectives were met. Finally the
“resources” section lists texts or websites that were either referenced in the lesson, or that are useful for further
research into each topic.

iv

Table of Contents
Acknowledgments................................................................................ii
Introduction ...................................................................................iii-iv

Estuaries Ecology Lessons
1. What is an Estuary? ...................................................................... 1-9
Students define estuaries and identify their unique characteristics and types. Students learn
select Dee-Ni vocabulary that pertains to estuaries.

2. Cultural Uses of Estuaries......................................................... 10-15
Students will learn about tidal fish weirs (traps) historically used by native people in Oregon’s
estuaries. Then they will design, build, and test a miniature model fishing weir.

3. Estuary Food Webs................................................................... 16-20
Students will build an estuary food web to examine the flow of food energy through the estuary
ecosystem through role-playing different organisms.

4. Salmon Use of Estuaries............................................................ 21-28
In this lesson students will learn about the life stages of salmon and their migration from freshwater
habitats to saltwater habitats and back. Students will illustrate how salmon regulate the salt
concentration in their bodies, and how they use estuaries as important transition zones. Students
will also simulate a salmon migration and encounter obstacles and benefits along the way.

5. Oyster Ecosystem Services and Restoration............................. 29-36
In activity #1 students learn how native Olympia Oysters filter water through an in-class
experiment with live oysters in tanks. In activity #2 Students create an oyster reef restoration
design. Instructions for a traditional shell game are also included.

Estuaries
Lesson 1
Time Estimate:
60-90 minutes

What is an Estuary?
“I’d like to get people to start blessing the water and tell them it’s sacred and thank
it for what it does for us. ...continue to say a prayer to the Creator to help it with our
Earth Mother’s blood.”
—Agnes Baker Pilgrim, Siletz Tribal Elder

Overview

Students define estuaries and identify their unique characteristics and types. Students learn select Dee-Ni vocabulary that
pertains to estuaries.

Best Season:

Any- Indoor classroom

Preparation

◆◆ Make color copies of the provided labeled estuary type photos to
pass around or use a document camera to project them.
◆◆ Gather all of the Estuary model materials in advance.

Materials
◆◆ Whiteboard, flip chart paper or butcher paper and markers.

Learning Objectives

◆◆ Describe the four different
types of estuaries: Barbuilt, Coastal plain,
Tectonic, and Fjord.

◆◆ Provided labeled wetland photos: Bar-built, Coastal Plain, Tectonic, and Fjord.
◆◆ Computer with internet connection and a projector to play the
video “What is an Estuary?” https://youtu.be/emVVYG7dSaA
◆◆ Estuary model activity materials:
*

4 medium or large paper or plastic plates

*

Clay- modeling or pottery

◆◆ Identify where
different estuaries are
located in Oregon.

*

1-4 bottles Blue Food Coloring

*

12 or more Ice Cubes

*

Turkey baster or dropper pipette

◆◆ Explain the value and
function of estuaries
in watersheds and
coastal ecosystems.

*

3 bottles or cups of water

Next Generation Science Standards
This lesson meets the following 6th Grade
standards:

MS-ESS2.C The Roles of Water in Earth’s Surface Processes
MS-ESS2-6 Develop and use a model to describe phenomena.
MS-ESS2-4 Develop a model to describe unobservable mechanisms

1

Estuaries
Lesson 1

What is an Estuary?
Vocabulary

Nuttall’s cockle
Clinocardium
nuttallii

English

Dee-Ni

◆◆ Estuary

◆◆ Bay: Tum-sray-me’

◆◆ Bar-built

◆◆ Lagoon: Chvslh-mvn

◆◆ Coastal plain ◆◆ Salt: Mar’sr-lvsh

Background Information

◆◆ Tectonic

◆◆ River: Nii~-li~’

◆◆ Fjord

◆◆ Ocean: Sis-xa

◆◆ Brackish

◆◆ Sand: Lhtr’vsh

Estuaries can be defined as a partially enclosed body of water where salt water from the ocean mixes
with fresh water draining from the land, creating“brackish” water. Due to their brackish water, estuaries
provide food and habitat for unique plant and animal communities. Salt marshes are one of the habitats
located within an estuary. They are ideal places for juvenile fish and shellfish to hide, rest, eat and grow. Many
of these animals later provide food for people. This “nursery function” of a salt marsh is critical to our continued
supply of fresh seafood to eat. Estuaries are among the most productive ecosystems on the planet. Over 80%
of the fish and shellfish we eat spend at least part of their lives in estuaries. Estuaries provide other important
ecological functions too, acting as filters for pollution and providing protection from flooding. Estuaries are also
of great importance economically, providing us with food, jobs, and recreation.
There are four main types of estuaries, which are differentiated depending on how they formed:
• Bar-built Estuaries form when a shallow lagoon or bay is protected from the ocean by a sand bar, sand spit,
or barrier island. Examples include Siletz Bay, Coquille River Estuary, and the Salmon River Estuary.
• Coastal plain Estuaries are formed by sea level rising and filling an existing river valley. Example: Coos Bay
Estuary.
• Tectonic Estuaries are caused by the folding or faulting of land surfaces. These estuaries are found along
major fault lines, like the San Francisco Bay area in California.
• Fjords are U-shaped valleys formed by glacial action. Fjords are found in areas with long histories of glacier
activity, like northern Europe, Alaska and Canada.
A fifth estuary type, the delta estuary, is a sub-type of the coastal plain estuary. A delta is modified by the
addition of large amounts of sediments deposited at the estuary mouth. Each estuary has its own specific
characteristics, but all estuaries play vital roles in the environment and in our lives. Of the 32 largest cities in
the world, 22 are located next to estuaries. Not surprisingly, human activities have led to a decline in the health
of estuaries, making them one of the most threatened ecosystems on Earth.

2

Estuaries
Lesson 1

What is an Estuary?
Teacher Directions

1. Get the students to start thinking and talking
about estuaries. This will help you assess what
they currently know about estuaries, and allow
you to focus your teaching on the gaps in their
knowledge. Say something to the effect of: “Turn
to the person next to you and discuss what an
estuary is, and what you know about estuaries.
Make a list of what plants and animals might
live in an estuary. You have one minute - GO!”
2. Once the minute is up say “Pencils down.” Call
on groups to share their estuary definitions
and plant & animal lists with the class. Make
three columns on the white board or flipchart
titled “Estuary definition and attributes”,
“Estuary animals” and “Estuary plants.” As the
students read off what they listed write those
words in the corresponding columns on the
board. Compare the words to those listed in the
Dee-ni vocabulary and write those next to the
corresponding English words. Leave the list up
on the board to add the things that they learned
about at the end of the lesson.
3. Share the definition of “Estuaries” using the
“What is an Estuary?” infographic projected or
printed out. Go through the four main types of
estuaries by showing the other infographics:
Bar-built, Coastal plain, Tectonic, and Fjord.
Point out to students the example photos, and
have them locate them on a U.S. and Oregon
map. As a class find other estuaries on a map
and guess what type they are. Optionally you
can also show the video “What is an Estuary?”
(2 minutes 50 seconds) https://youtu.be/
emVVYG7dSaA
4. Lead a discussion and brainstorm about
estuaries. Example questions:
◆◆ How does the group list on the board compare
with the infographic’s estuary definition?
◆◆ What are some nearby estuaries? What type of
estuary are they? How can you tell?
◆◆ Why do estuaries make good habitat for
animals, especially fish?
◆◆ What animals live in estuaries?
◆◆ Have you ever harvested shellfish or gone
fishing in an estuary?

5. Activity: Make an Estuary Model
a. Divide the class into four groups, and give each
group one of the four printed estuary type
discriptions. Each group will make a different
estuary type using the provided materials.
b. Hand out clay and plates. Have the students
use the clay to make a model of their assigned
estuary type. This model needs to include
connected ocean, estuary, and river sections.
c. This part of the activity teaches about the
geologic formation of estuaries. Provide each
group with 3 ice cubes and let them place the
ice on their clay model. As the ice melts, have
the students write down how the water fills
in their model. Have each group answer this
question: “Does the way your ice melted
and filled in the model correlate with the
geologic formation of this particular estuary
structure?” Using a hairdryer or heat lamp can
speed up the ice melt. If ice is not available have
the students slowly pour water onto their model.
d. The next part of the activity teaches about
brackish water. Put several drops of blue food
coloring into the ocean portion of the students’
models until it is a dark blue. Have the students
write down their observations of how the salt
(blue) water mixes with and dilutes the fresh
(clear) water inside of the estuary. They can
pour more fresh water into the estuary to mimic
a river. A turkey baster or dropper pipet can be
used to suction water out of the ocean portion to
mimic the tides.
e. Have a show and tell, where each group shows
their model to the rest of the class and uses
what they observed and learned to teach the
class about the estuary type they built. Allow
for questions and answers, as well as a group
discussion. How are the estuary types similar
or different? Was there a different amount of
brackish water in each type?
6. Lesson wrap-up. Review the definition of an
estuary, and the different types of estuaries.
Look over the list that the class created at the
beginning of the lesson, and add anything else
that they learned about estuaries.
3

Estuaries
Lesson 1

What is an Estuary?

In the Field!
Organize a field trip to a nearby estuary and have the students analyze its’
characteristics to determine what type of estuary it is. Tell the students to look
for estuary specific plants and animals. Ask them to observe how the plants in
the estuary are different from those outside of it, and try to determine where
that boundary is. They can document their observations in a drawing, journal
entry, or photo journal. Recommend that the students wear rubber boots or other
waterproof shoes on the field trip.

Science Inquiry
Homework Assignment: Think about an estuary that you have visited in the past. Make a
hypothesis of what kind of estuary you think it is and why, write this down. How many acres do
you think the estuary covers? Find that estuary on the online Coastal Atlas Estuary Map: http://
www.coastalatlas.net/estuarymaps/ Record the data that is listed for that estuary, including
the various labels and layers for the map. How does this data differ from the hypothesis that
you wrote down? How are the categories for estuary types similar or different from what you
learned in the classroom lesson? Research and then make a vocabulary list with definitions for
those categories.

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Assessment

Think about an estuary that you have
visited. How do you know it was an estuary? What type of estuary do you think it
was? What are the water sources for the
estuary? How did you feel when you were
there? Make a drawing of the estuary
from your memory, a photo, or by visiting
it again. Make a map of the estuary using
your memory, a paper map, or an online
map.

1

Name the factors that
define an estuary.

2

List the four types of estuaries.

3

Say or write one estuary
specific Dee-ni word.

Resources
◆◆ http://www.oregonconservationstrategy.org/oregon-nearshore-strategy/habitats/ons-estuaries/
◆◆ https://coast.noaa.gov/estuaries/curriculum
◆◆ https://www.coastalatlas.net/estuarymaps/
◆◆ Project WILD Aquatic K-12 Curriculum & Activity Guide. 2010. Project WILD. Houston, TX.
4

5

6

7

8

9

Estuaries
Lesson 2
Time Estimate:
60-90 minutes

Cultural Uses of Estuaries
“If you are going to go [in nature] and use those resources, you also have the responsibility
not to damage them when you’re using them and taking them, but actually do some
enhancement and try to do some caring for them so that they’ll be there the next year and
for the next generations.”
—Robert Kentta

Overview

Students will learn about tidal fish weirs (traps) historically used
by native people in Oregon’s estuaries. Then they will design,
build, and test a miniature model fishing weir.

Best Season:
Any

Classroom or Outside

Preparation

Gather the necessary materials for the weir models beforehand from a craft or
hardware store. One option for the tray is to purchase a pre-made stream table from
an environmental education supply store like this one: https://www.forestry-suppliers.com/
product_pages/products.php?mi=89920&itemnum=76579&redir=Y

Materials
* Images of Weirsprinted out or projected
* Items for weir model:
• craft sticks of various
sizes, 12” dowels
or toothpicks
• twine, string, or
pipe cleaners
• paint tray or cement/
grout mixing tub,
or stream table
• Fish Weir Design
Worksheets
• 4” fish shaped rubber
fishing lures (e.g.,
sea shad) with

Learning Objectives
◆◆ Define and describe a traditional native fishing weir, including how it is built and used.
◆◆ Design and build a miniature model of a fishing weir.
◆◆ Evaluate the effectiveness of your weir model and revise the design if necessary.

Vocabulary
English

Dee-Ni

◆◆ Weir

◆◆ Weir: Naa-dii~-’an’

◆◆ Tidal slough

◆◆ Low tide: Numlh-ts’a

◆◆ Tidal weir
◆◆ Riverine weir
◆◆ Basket trap

◆◆ High tide: Chvtlh-ch’vs
◆◆ Fish Bait: Lhuk-svn’
◆◆ Stick(s): Chvn
◆◆ Gill net: Mesh-xa’

Sockeye Salmon
Lhuk
Oncorhynchus nerka
10

Estuaries
Lesson 2

Cultural Uses of Estuaries

Next Generation Science Standards
This lesson meets the following 6th Grade
standards:
MS-LS1-2 Develop and use a model to describe phenomena
MS-ETSI-I All human activity draws on natural resources.
MS-ETS1-1 Define the criteria and constraints of a design
problem with which to ensure a successful solution, taking into
account scientific principles and potential impacts on people
and the natural environment.

Willow fence weir with platforms across a shallow river. Migrating salmon or lamprey collect at the weir, and unable to proceed
upriver they are caught with dip nets.
Drawing by Hilary Stewart

Background Information
Estuaries are rich in a diversity and abundance of fish, in addition to other animals. To be closer to this wealth
of fishing opportunity there was historically a high concentration of Native villages surrounding estuaries (Byram).
Various methods for catching fish were used, but the most popular and successful method was the construction of
a type of fish trap called a “weir.” Fish weirs have been used by varying cultures the world over for millenia using
stones, reeds, or sticks placed close together like a fence within a river channel or estuary to capture fish as they swim
along with the current (Hirst). Riverine weirs are those built in non-tidal rivers and were often large, and only used
seasonally to catch large numbers of salmon and lamprey during their runs upstream. However fishing weirs built in
estuaries, often referred to as “tidal weirs,” were smaller, more permanent and used year long to harvest a variety of
fish including: herring, , flounder, sardine, smelt, and salmon. Tidal weirs were built in marsh or tidal slough channels
at the edges of estuaries, and they worked in conjunction with tidal action (incoming and outgoing tides). Some of
these included a built in cylindrical basket trap which had an opening facing the outgoing current. This allowed for
fish to get trapped in the basket as they swam out with the tide (Byram). Other weirs had built in platforms which
people could stand on with a dip net and catch the fish that were too big to squeeze through (see illustration above.)
Weirs were often built using willow or Western hemlock posts that were partially buried close together into the
estuary mud or sand. Cross posts or sticks were tied horizontally to these sunken posts to create what looked like a
fence in the water. Oregon tidal weirs were commonly composed of fine woven lattice panels that were made using
basketry techniques and materials.

Tidal slough weir
of woven lattice
panels

Wood post tidal
weir and basket
trap

11

Estuaries
Lesson 2

Cultural Uses of Estuaries
Teacher Directions

Lesson adapted from The Fish Weir: A Culturally Relevant STEM Activity
from NSTA’s Science Scope Summer 2015 Volume 38 Number 9
http://digital.nsta.org/publication/?i=260740&ver=html5&p=46

1. Ask students to think about what kinds of foods
(especially fish) their ancestors may have eaten from
estuaries. Then have them consider what fishing
methods would allow for the largest catch in order to
feed not just their family, but their whole community.
After this discussion present students with photos and
information about traditional fishing weirs. Use the
“Background Information” section, provided photos
and drawings, as well as items from the “Resources”
section at the end of this lesson.
2. Tell the students that they are now going to design,
build, and test a miniature model of a fishing weir in
small groups.
a. Design: Break them up into groups of four or less,
and hand out the “Fish Weir Design Worksheet.”
Tell the students that they will work together
and use the worksheet to draw a diagram of the
weir model that they will build. They will need
to include specifics including the depth and
width of the model estuary, as well as the width
of the model fish they aim to capture. Let them
know what materials you will be providing. The
requirement is that water should be able to flow
through the weir, but not allow fish to pass.

b. Build: Once a group has finished their weir design
plan give them the materials for making their
model weir. The paint tray or cement/grout mixing
tub will represent the estuary or river that they
must build the weir in. The craft sticks, dowels or
toothpicks will be used as the weir posts, beams,
and supports. The twine, string, or pipe cleaners
will be used to tie the weir posts together. They
can also weave a small basket to include a basket
trap in the weir. The weir needs to stand upright
on its own.
12

c. Test and Evaluate: Next students test how well
their model works and see if any changes would
improve it. It’s recommended to do this activity
outside in a grassy area. Give each group a bucket
or pitcher of water
to pour into their
tray. Elevate the tray
on one side to make
a slope. Have the
students slowly pour
the water in at the
top of the incline so
that it flows downhill
like a river. Tell the
students to tilt the
tray slowly back and
forth to represent
the tides going in
and out. Once the water is added students can
add the fake fish to see how well the weir traps
them. Is the weir effective? If not, what could be
changed about it? Does the weir work better
with an incoming or outgoing tide? To maintain
sustainable fish poplulations some fish should be
allowed to pass through the weir. Two possibilities
for this would be a larger opening at one end, or a
gate that can be opened and closed when people
aren’t actively fishing. After the students have
made their weir successful they can refine their
model to make it more sustainable.
d. Show-and-Tell: Once all of the groups have
completed their weirs facilitate a show-andtell where each group presents their design
worksheet, finished weir, and demonstrates
its function to the other groups. Lead a class
discussion of why and how their weir models
work and how they might change their modles
to adapt to changes in the environment such as
climate change, flooding, drought, or lower fish
populations.
e. Wrap-up: To finish this activity have students
draw an “as built” diagram of their final model,
labeling features and making a list of materials
used. They should use a new blank “Weir
Design Worksheet” to draw these final designs.
Students can also write a narrative describing the
construction, materials, and function of their weir
model.

Estuaries
Lesson 2

Cultural Uses of Estuaries
Fish Weir Design Worksheet

Team Member Names:________________________________________________________________________________
Date:______________
Design Constraints: Width of Estuary_____ Depth of Estuary____ Width of weir:____ Height of weir:____

Width of Fish____ Upright post spacing:____ Scale 1 square = 1 inch

13

Estuaries
Lesson 2

Cultural Uses of Estuaries

Photos of Pacific Northwest Native American Fish Weirs

14

Estuaries
Lesson 2

Cultural Uses of Estuaries

In the Field!
Scout out a nearby estuary or river to find a good spot to build a temporary model weir.
Look at tide tables to see where the tide will be during your class visit. Gather sticks
beforehand, or have students gather them as part of the activity. Pick up sticks on the
ground, or if you have the land owner’s permission bring loppers and hand saws to cut
branches off of trees. Invite community members to participate. Fish Weirs are not
currently legal for catching fish, so you will ned to deconstruct the weir after completion.

Science Inquiry
Invite a knowledgeable tribal member to speak to the class about the customs, ceremonies, and
practices associated with fish weirs, fishing, including historic and modern management of salmon and
lamprey. This could include an Elder who remembers the last active fishing weirs, a tribal fish biologist
who manages a modern research weir, or a tribal archeologist who has uncovered remnants of
ancient weirs. These talks could also be extended into field trips to visit a hatchery, research weir, or
an archeological dig.

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Assessment

After making a model of a weir, think
about what it would take to build
a traditional fish weir today. Where would
you build it and why? What natural materials would you use and how much would
you need? How many people would you need
to help you? What time of year would be
best to build and use it? What kind of
fish would you try to catch?

1

Define “fish weir” and
describe how one is used.

2

List two kinds of fish that can
be caught using a weir.

3

Name two kinds of fish weirs
and explain their differences.

Resources
◆◆ Byram, Robert Scott (1998) Fishing Weirs in Oregon Coast Estuaries. In Hidden Dimensions: The Cultural Significance of
Wetland Archaeology. Edited by Kathryn Bernick; University of British Columbia Press, Vancouver, pp. 199 – 219.
◆◆ Stewart, Hilary (1994) Indian Fishing: Early Methods on the Northwest Coast. Douglas & McIntyre Ltd. B.C. Canada.
◆◆ Hirst ,K. Kris. Fish Weir: Ancient Fishing Technology. https://www.thoughtco.com/fish-weir-ancient-fishing-tool-170925
15

Estuaries
Lesson 3
Time Estimate:
60 minutes

Estuary Food Webs
‘We need to enlighten people and tell the world leaders there has to be a
better way. If we allow the animal kingdom to disappear, at the rapid rate it
is disappearing, then we are killing ourselves faster than we think.”
—Agnes Baker Pilgrim, Siletz Tribal Elder

Overview

Students will build an estuary food web to examine the flow of food
energy through the estuary ecosystem through role-playing different organisms.

Best Season:

Any- Indoor classroom

Preparation

◆◆ Print or write out the note cards with organism names on them ahead
of time, and punch two holes in them for yarn to go through.

Materials

Learning Objectives

◆◆ Construct a model of an
estuary food web that
correctly demonstrates
the flow of energy.

◆◆ Explain how all living things
depend directly or indirectly
on green plants for food.
◆◆ Describe the three major
categories of living organisms
in an estuary ecosystem
and their roles. (producers,
consumers, and decomposers)

Next Generation Science Standards
This lesson meets the following 6th Grade
standards:

16

MS-LS1-8 Cause and effect relationships may be
used to predict phenomena in natural systems.
MS-LS1-2 Complex systems can be visualized,
modeled, and used to describe how their function
depends on the relationships among its parts.
MS-LS1-3 Systems may interact with other
systems; they may have sub-systems and be a part
of larger complex systems.

*
*
*
*

Whiteboard or chalkboard
Large blank notecards or blank pieces of paper
Pencils- graphite and colored
Large ball of Yarn or string

Estuaries
Lesson 3

Estuary Food Webs
Vocabulary
English
◆◆ Producer
◆◆ Consumer
◆◆ Decomposer
◆◆ Food web

Great Blue Heron

Dee-Ni
◆◆ Crab: Ga’-srvsr
◆◆ String: St’vs
◆◆ Bald Eagle: T’a’-lhki
◆◆ Sun:
srii-naa ch’aa-ghvtlh-sri~

◆◆ Phytoplankton ◆◆ Web:

Ch’uu-ket-ni

Ardea herodias

k’wee-dar’sh-mee-ne’

Background Information
When animals eat plants or other animals in order to survive, there is a flow of food energy through the ecosystem.
What starts out as energy from the sun is converted into food energy by organisms that use photosynthesis, and
is transferred to other organisms as they consume food. There are three major categories of living organisms in
an ecosystem and each has a special role. Together, producers (plants), consumers (animals), and decomposers
make up the food web. The food energy produced by producers via photosynthesis is cycled through the ecosystem
through food chains, which all together make up a food web.
In an estuary food web the producers are comprised of plants like seaweed, eelgrass, algae and phytoplankton.
Phytoplankton, which are microscopic free-floating plants, are one of the most abundant and important producers
in an estuary because they are eaten by many small animals like zooplankton, shrimp, molluscs, and shellfish.
These animals are all called primary consumers. The animals that eat the primary consumers are called the
secondary consumers, and they consisit of fish, seals, crabs, sea birds, and humans. Many illustrations of food
webs don’t include humans, but we are animals too and we are consumers of finned fish and shellfish from estuaries.
Decomposers have the job of ‘recycling’ dead plants and animals and are made up of bacteria, fungi, some insects,
and molluscs like snails.

Phytoplankton
Producers

Clams
Primary Consumers

Humans
Secondary Consumers
17

Estuaries
Lesson 3

Estuary Food Webs
Teacher Directions

animals should be connected to several others.
If a student receives the ball a second time they
will need to pass it to a student that they haven’t
already passed it to. If students are unsure where
to pass the yarn they can refer to their cards or
worksheets where they listed what their organism
eats, and who eats their organism.

Lesson adapted from “Marsh Market” in WOW! The
Wonders of Wetlands.

1. Start out the lesson by having students turn
to the person next to them and discuss for
30 seconds what they already know about
food webs. Then write “food web” in a circle
on the board and ask the students what they
know about food webs. Use this as a teaching moment
and correct any misconceptions the students have. Write
the correct things they say around the food web circle.
Once everyone has shared add any other information
or definitions that you think are necessary. Include
in this a discussion about producers, consumers, and
decomposers.

5. Once all of the food web is complete and each student is
connected to it, have the students slightly move until the
web is taut. Ask the students what would happen if one
animal or plant disappeared from the estuary.How would
this effect the whole food web? Introduce one of these
scenarios as an example:
a. A commercial fishing company their annual catch of
salmon in the estuary.

2. Hand out the “Estuary Food Web Worksheet” and have
the students complete it in pairs, groups or as a class. This
worksheet can help further guide discussion and research
about producers, consumers, and decomposers.
3. On separate note cards or pieces of paper write the
name of each plant and animal listed on the worksheet
(including the sun). Tape the cards on the board and
have each student select one, or hand them out to the
students. If there are more students in your class than
organisms listed, feel free to add more or divide up some
of the categories like shellfish and sea birds into specific
species. Give the students time to add to their cards a
drawing of their organism, and the information about it
from the worksheet. Punch two holes at the top of each
note card to tie a loop of yarn so each student can wear
their card around their neck. You will wear the “sun” card.
4. Now you can make an estuary food web. Put the sun
card on and have the students put the organism cards
on the front of their bodies and get into a circle. Take
the ball of yarn or string, wrap the end once around
your hand and then pass the ball to a student with
the card of an organism that photosynthesizes like a
plant or phytoplankton. The student will then wrap
the yarn around their hand once and pass the ball to
a student with the card of an organism that eats that
plant or phytoplankton. Each time the yarn is passed
it is connecting the organism that is consumed to
the consumer. The sun passes the yarn to a primary
consumer, then they pass it to a secondary consumer,
who then passes it to a tertiary consumer, and so on.
Continue having the students pass the yarn around the
circle in this manner until the students can see the visual
representation of a food web. Many of the plants and
18

b. The land at the end of the estuary is converted to
intensive farming. There is a big increase in agricultural
run-off including fertilizers and pesticedes into the
estuary. This increases the risk of phytoplankton blooms.
c. Due to increased carbon emissions, the ocean is
becoming more acidic. Bryozoans and other shelled
animals will find it difficult to make shells.
6.

With each scenario ask the students which organism
would be affected by the change first. Have the student
wearing the card for that organism tug on the yarn. Any
other student who then feels the resulting tug should
raise their free hand, and then tug on the string, and
so on as the effect ripples through the food web. Once
this has been completed lead a discussion about the
food web. Did the absence of some species make a
bigger impact than the absence of others? This is a great
opportunity to talk about keystone species.

7.

Here is an optional second activity you can do
with the cards the students made: have the students tape
the cards to a white board or a large piece of paper to
make their own estuary food web. They can draw arrows
showing the connections between different organisms.

Estuaries
Lesson 3

Estuary Food Webs

Estuary Food Web Worksheet
Organsim

Producer

Consumer Decomposer

Eaten by:

Feeds on:

Seals
Crabs
Sea birds
Shellfish (oysters,
mussels, cockles,
clams)
Salmon
Phytoplankton
Sea Stars
Seaweed
Humans
Zooplankton
Shrimp
Small fish
The Sun

19

Estuaries
Lesson 3

Estuary Food Webs

In the Field!
Go on a field trip to a nearby estuary to observe the living food webs in action. Bring

along plant and animal field guides to help you identify the creatures that you see.
Make a list of the plants and animals that you see and the things that they eat or what
eats them. Take pictures or make drawings of these organisms. When you return
to class makean estuary food web as a class using the drawings or photos of the
organisms that you encountered.

Science Inquiry
Homework Assignment: Do a research project about how humans have adversely affected wetlands and
write a paper or make a presenation to the class. Possible research topics include:
• How has pollution, climate change, and over-fishing effected estuarine food webs?
• Research an estuary species that has gone extinct or is endangered. How has the absence or lack
of abundance of this species affected the food web?
• Find out information about estuary restoration projects. What were the restoration goals, and
what were the results of the project?

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Assessment

How have humans use of estuaries in Oregon
changed over time? What are some ways that
native americans historically used estuaries, and
how is that similar or different to modern
use? What are some food webs that you are
a part of? Make a diagram of the food web
that makes up your lunch.

1

List the three categories
of organisms that make
up a food web

2

Diagram an estuarine food
web of phytoplankton,
clams, and humans.

3

Calculate what species would
be effected by the abscence
of salmon in the food web.

Resources
•
•
•

20

Padilla Bay The Estuary Guide Level 2 https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publications/documents/8958c.pdf
WOW! The Wonders of Wetlands. 2003. Environmental Concern INC, PO Box P, St Michaels, MD 21663. wetland.org
NOAA Estuary Food Pyramid lesson. https://coast.noaa.gov/estuaries/curriculum/estuary-food-pyramid.html

Salmon Use of Estuaries

Estuaries
Lesson 4
Time Estimate:

“Legend tells us that the salmon were people shaped like us who lived in a
beautiful city below the ocean floor. The spirit of the Salmon People chose to
come back every spring and fall to feed the two-leggeds of this world. ”

2 class sessions:
1 indoor and 1 outside

—Agnes Baker Pilgrim, Siletz Tribal Elder

Overview
Best Season:
Spring & Summer,
indoor & outside

Learning Objectives
◆◆ Describe the stages of
the salmon life cycle
◆◆ Discuss the obstacles that
salmon face along their
migration journeys and the
benefits that estuaries and
rivers provide for salmon
◆◆ Explain how salmon use
estuaries to transition
from freshwater to
saltwater ecosystems

Next Generation Science Standards
This lesson meets the following 6th Grade
standards:

In this lesson students will learn about the life stages of salmon
and their migration from freshwater habitats to saltwater habitats
and back. Students will illustrate how salmon regulate the salt
concentration in their bodies, and how they use estuaries as
important transition zones. Students will also simulate a salmon
migration and encounter obstacles and benefits along the way.

Preparation

◆◆ Make sure that you have access a document reader or computer to show
images of the salmon life cycle and access to the internet to show a video to
students.
◆◆ Gather materials to make a migration obstacle course. Find an area large
enough to create an obstacle course that can accommodate your class size
and that will give enough room for students to run through the course. The
route can be longer or shorter depending on the space available to you.
Students can help you set up the route, or you can do this ahead of time to
shorten the lesson.

Materials
◆◆
◆◆
◆◆
◆◆
◆◆
◆◆
◆◆

Internet access for videos
Document reader or computer to display images
Ropes, traffic cones, or pin flags
Hula hoops
Chairs
Goldfish snacks, gummy worms, or other small objects to represent “food”
Construction paper, scissors, string, and hole punch for making costumes
and nametags

MS-LS1-4. Use argument based on empirical evidence
and scientific reasoning to support an explanation for
how characteristic animal behaviors and specialized
plant structures affect the probability of successful
reproduction of animals and plants respectively.
MS-LS1-5. Construct a scientific explanation based
on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors
influence the growth of organisms.
MS-PS3-5 Construct, use, and present oral and
written arguments supported by empirical evidence and
scientific reasoning to support or refute an explanation
or a model for a phenomenon.

Salmon
Lhuk

Oncorhynchus sp.
21

Estuaries
Lesson 4

Salmon Use of Estuaries
Vocabulary
English
◆◆ Alevins
◆◆ Fry
◆◆ Parr

◆◆
◆◆
◆◆
◆◆

◆◆ Smoltification
◆◆ Spawning
Salmon Alevins
Dan’-dee-ni
Oncorhynchus sp.

Background Information

◆◆ Anadramous

◆◆
◆◆

◆◆ Osmoregulation

Dee-Ni
Salmon:Dan’-dee-ni
Salmon eggs: Gvmp
Fry:
Lhuk mvsh-xee-ye’
Salmon Ceremony:
Lhuk mii-naa~-li’
Spring Salmon:
Dan’-dee-ni
Summer Salmon:
Shin-naa-le

The Salmon Life Cycle
1. Eggs and Alevins
A female lays a nest of eggs and they are fertilized by a male. The eggs
develop during the winter at the bottom of the stream and hatch in the
spring. Newly hatched salmon are called alevins. The alevins hatch with a
yolk sac attached to them, and they slowly consume the yolk for several
months.
2. Fry
Once the fish can swim freely they are considered fry. Fry swim to the
surface of the water and collect air in a special body organ called a swim
bladder, allowing them to hold their position in the water. Fry feed on
microscopic plankton.
3. Parr
During the fall, fry develop into parr. Parr have stripes and spots for
camouflage and they feed on aquatic insects. They spend between a few
months to a year in the stream where they were born. They rely on shade
from riparian trees to keep the water cool, and they rely on access to shallow waters where they can rest and hide from predators.
4. Smoltification and estuaries
Eventually parr begin to migrate downstream towards the ocean. As the parr develop into smolt, their scales become silvery to help them better camouflage in the ocean. Smolts use estuaries to adapt their bodies for life in
saltwater and to feed on an abundance of crustaceans and aquatic insects.
22

Wetlands
Lesson 4

Salmon Use of Estuaries

Background Information, continued

5. Adults
Salmon may spend anywhere from 1-8 years in the ocean, depending on the species. Some stay in coastal waters while
others migrate further away from the coast.
6. Adult migration
Adult salmon eventually return to their home stream to breed. Scientists believe that salmon use chemical signals, such
as smells, and navigate using the sun to find the stream where they were born. Salmon stop feeding once they are in
freshwater and males develop humped noses for fighting with other males.
7. Spawning
Once they reach the stream where they were born, females build nests in the gravel at the bottom of the stream. Meanwhile, the males fight to determine which males will mate. The victorious male and the female spawn by releasing eggs
and sperm at the same time. The female makes many nests and covers them with gravel. The process continues until the
adult males and females die.
Osmoregulation
Salmon are anadromous fish, meaning that they spend part of their lives living in freshwater and part of their lives living in saltwater. The process by which salmon control the salt and water concentrations in their bodies is called osmoregulation. In the ocean, salmon run the risk of having too much salt in their bodies, while in freshwater they may not
have enough salt. As salmon smolts begin to migrate towards the ocean, they encounter estuaries. Estuaries are habitats
where freshwater and saltwater mix to form brackish water. Smolts must slowly acclimate to the change in salinity in
the water, and this may take weeks. In order to live in saltwater, salmon drink the water around them and their kidneys
concentrate the salts into urine while their gills use pumps to reverse the flow of NaCl (sodium-chloride) out of their
bodies. When adult salmon return to freshwater to spawn after spending years in the ocean, they must readapt their
bodies to survive in freshwater. They gradually stop drinking water and stop pumping sodium out of their bodies.

23

Estuaries
Lesson 4

Salmon Use of Estuaries

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Eggs hatch in
streams

Alevins stay
close to nest

Fig. 3

Fig. 7

Adults spawn
and die
Fig. 6

Salmon
Life
Cycle

Fry/Parr live
in
streams
Fig. 4

Adults
return to
streams
Fig. 5

Smoltification
in
estuaries

Image attributions
1. By CSIRO, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.
wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35486300
2. https://www.flickr.com/photos/usdagov/5710052661
3. https://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwsendsp/5039506498
4. By User:Cacophony - Own work, CC BY
2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1068639
24

Adults live
at sea

5. By Hans-Petter Fjeld - Own work, CC BY-SA
2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.
php?curid=1012293
6. Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24858376
7. https://www.flickr.com/photos/blmoregon/16335491222

Estuaries
Lesson 4

Salmon Use of Estuaries

Teacher Directions for indoor session

Use a document reader or a computer to show the images of the salmon life cycle to students, and discuss how
salmon migrate to and from the ocean during their various life stages. Then, tell the students that you are
going to show them a video that discusses how fish can survive in freshwater and saltwater. Tell the students
“Salmon are anadromous fish, meaning that they spend part of their lives living in freshwater and part of their
lives living in saltwater. Therefore, they have to change their bodies to adapt to different environments, and
estuaries play an important role in this process.”
Show the video “Do Fish Drink Water?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pvc4DTwpm_g to the class, and
then have students work on student worksheets to label the diagrams of salmon in saltwater and freshwater.
Students may work in groups to complete the diagrams.
After the student have labeled the fish, discuss the following questions as a class. The students should be
checking their diagrams to make sure that they labeled them correctly, as you are discussing the questions as
a class.
1. Which way does water flow across the membrane? Towards the saltier or less salty side? Why?
• Water flows towards the side with higher salt concentration so that the concentration of salt will be the same on
both sides.
2. When salmon are in freshwater, which will way water flow? Into their gills or out of their gills? Why?
• Water will flow into their gills because the concentration of salt is higher inside their body than in the water.
3. When salmon are in saltwater, which way will water flow? Into their gills or out of their gills? Why?
• Water will flow out of their gills because the concentration of salt is higher outside of their bodies.
4. When do fish need to drink water? In freshwater or saltwater? Why?
• In saltwater, because their bodies are constantly losing water so they need to replace it.
5. If saltwater fish drink saltwater, will that make their bodies even saltier? How do they get rid of salts?
• Their kidneys can make urine that is very salty to get rid of salts. They also have chloride cells in their gills to push
the salt out.
6. What is the role of estuaries for salmon? What kinds of changes do you think salmon undergo in estuaries?
What would happen if salmon had to go directly from freshwater to saltwater or vice-versa?
• Salmon use estuaries as a transition zone between freshwater and saltwater so that salmon can slowly adapt
to change in salinity. Their bodies need to change to push salts in or out or their gills and also to drink water and
produce salty or less salty urine. If salmon had to go directly from fresh to saltwater, they might die.
Another video about salmon migration, return to freshwater (optional)
https://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/news/0000014a-2fd2-de99-abda-3fff7b220000

25

Estuaries
Lesson 4

Salmon Use of Estuaries

Osmoregulation Student Worksheet
Watch the video “Do Fish Drink Water?” and then complete the following diagrams. You may work in small groups.
1. Draw arrows to show whether water will flow into the gills or out of the gills for fish in freshwater and saltwater. Write
“water flows in” or “water flows out.”
2. Draw an arrow to indicate if a fish will drink water, or draw an X by its mouth to show that it will not drink water. Write
“drinks water” or “does not drink water.”
3. Draw an arrow and indicate whether each fish will produce more salty urine or less salty urine. Write “more salty
urine” or “less salty urine.”

Freshwater

Saltwater

26

Estuaries
Lesson 4

Salmon Use of Estuaries

Teacher Directions for outdoor session:
Salmon Migration Game!

1. Ask the students to imagine that they are tiny alevins that just hatched in a stream. They are growing up and will soon be
on their way to the ocean. Along the journey, they will face many obstacles, as well as some places where they can rest.
2. Ask the students to name some of the obstacles that the young salmon might face and write these down on the board
under “obstacles”. Examples might include predators, storms, lack of food, competition for food, fast-flowing water and
waterfalls, and adapting to changes in salinity.
3. Now ask the students to name some of the “benefits” that salmon might encounter on their journey. Examples might
include an abundance of food, areas to hide from predators, areas to rest where the water is moving slowly, etc.
4. Now, go outside and have students help you set up an obstacle course for the migration from freshwater to saltwater,
and then back to freshwater to spawn. The goal of the game is for salmon to survive the migration to the ocean and back.
a. Use ropes, traffic cones, or pin flags to delineate the path from the stream → river → estuary → ocean. The path
should get wider as the body of water gets larger. The path can be windy to represent the natural flow of rivers.
b. Use hula hoops to indicate areas along the stream and river where the young salmon can rest. These are areas
along the banks of the river where the water flows slowly and the salmon can rest.
c. Place chairs throughout the stream, river, and estuary. These represent rocks and logs where salmon can hide from
predators.
d. Place goldfish snacks, gummy worms, or other small objects along the migration route to represent “food.” Each
salmon can pick these up as they are swimming and place them in their stomach, represented by a zip lock bag.
Make sure to put lots of food in the estuary.
5. Once the game is all set up, assign most of the students to be young salmon.
a. They must begin their lives hatching in the stream and begin swimming towards the ocean.
b. Tell the salmon that they must spend some time in the estuary adjusting to the change in salinity in the water and
collecting food before they can move to the ocean.
c. Once most of the salmon have reached the ocean, tell them that it is time to return to their home stream to reproduce.
At this point, the salmon stop eating and their only goal is to get back to where they were born.
6. A few students can be freshwater and saltwater predators (e.g. seals, birds, large fish, bears, whales), or they can
represent storms and other obstacles. The predators and obstacles have to stay in specific areas and cannot chase the
fish throughout the migration course. Each time a predator “catches” a salmon, the salmon dies and has to start over and
drop all the food that they picked up. To make the game more exciting, students can make costumes or nametags to
indicate which animal or obstacle they are.
7.

After playing the game a few times, so that everyone has had a chance to be salmon and an obstacle, ask the students:
what was the most challenging obstacle? What were some things that made it easier and safer to migrate? Did most of the
salmon live or die?

27

Estuaries
Lesson 4

Salmon Use of Estuaries

In the Field!
Research places nearby where salmon can be observed migrating. What is the best time of year
for seeing the salmon in your area? Plan a trip or a class field trip to see salmon in their natural
habitat or visit a hatchery to learn more about salmon. While you are there, take notes about the
salmon habitat. Are there places for salmon to hide from predators? Is the water shallow enough
in some areas for the salmon to rest? Do you see any aquatic insects or crustaceans for the salmon
to eat? Do you see any predators that might eat the salmon?

Science Inquiry
Salmon have several mechanisms for ensuring that they keep a balance of sodium inside their
bodies, both while living in freshwater and saltwater. For homework, research other animals
that practice osmoregulation to regulate water and salts inside their bodies. Pick one animal
and describe how this process works, and draw a picture to illustrate the process. Present your
findings to the class.

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Assessment

Why do you think that salmon spend so much
energy migrating to the ocean and migrating back to
spawn in the stream where they were born? Why do
salmon not stay in freshwater for their entire lives?
What might be the advantage of living in the oceans
for part of their lives and living in freshwater for
part of their lives? Can you think of other animals
that make a long migration journey? What are the
advantages of migration for these animals?

which life stages do salmon live
1 During
in freshwater, saltwater, and estuaries?
do the bodies of salmon
2 How
physically change in estuaries?
Name some of the obstacles

3 and benefits that salmon may
encounter in estuaries.

Resources
◆◆ https://www.marine.ie/Home/site-area/areas-activity/fisheries-ecosystems/salmon-life-cycle
◆◆ https://www.nps.gov/olym/learn/nature/the-salmon-life-cycle.htm
◆◆ Quinn, Thomas P. The Behavior and Ecology of Pacific Salmon and Trout, Seattle: University of Washington
Press, 2005.
◆◆ http://www.unm.edu/~toolson/salmon_osmoregulation.pdf
28

Oyster Ecosystem Services
& Restoration

Estuaries
Lesson 5

“... we were taught by our ancestors to conserve these things, that
nature provides for us, the sustenance that feeds our bodies...”

—Frank Simmons, Siletz Tribal Elder

Time Estimate:
1 hour

Overview

In activity #1 students learn how native Olympia Oysters filter
water through an in-class experiment with live oysters in tanks.
In activity #2 Students create an oyster reef restoration design.
Instructions for a traditional shell game are also included.

Best Season:

Preparation

Any- Indoor classroom with a
sink

◆◆ Gather all of the experiment materials ahead of time. Buy live oysters from a
grocery store or fish market. The other materials can be purchased from an
aquarium or pet supply store or online.

Learning Objectives

Materials

◆◆ Explain the three main
ecosystem services
that oysters provide.

◆◆
◆◆
◆◆
◆◆

Computer with internet connection & video projector
Two 2.5 gallon (or bigger) fish tanks
Two tank aerators and accessories
Seawater (~15ppt) or tap water and Instant Ocean Aquarium Salt +
Aquarium Dechlorinator.
◆◆ 5-6 live oysters
◆◆ Algae (phytoplankton): SD Aquarist algae or Shellfish Diet
from Reed Mariculture
◆◆ Pipette or eye dropper

◆◆ Describe how the
native Olympia oyster
almost went extinct.
◆◆ Identify one method used in
native oyster restoration.

English
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Vocabulary

Filter feeding
Phytoplankton
Bivalve mollusk
Spat
Carbon sequestration

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Next Generation Science Standards
Dee-Ni

Abalone: Lha’-k’wash-ti
Mussel: K’wee-san
Barnacle: K’waa-de
Clam: Kuu-ni
Digs: Ch’ee-shin’

This lesson meets the following 6th Grade standards:
MS-ESS3-3 Changes to Earth’s environments can have different impacts
(negative and positive) for different living things.
MS-LS1-1 Conduct an investigation to produce data to serve as
the basis for evidence that meet the goals of an investigation.
MS-ESS3-3 Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and
minimizing a human impact on the environment.
29

Estuaries
Lesson 5
Background Information

Oyster Ecosystem Services
& Restoration
Olympia Oyster
Ostrea lurida

Olympia Oyster Biology
Oysters are bivalves, a type of mollusk characterized by two opposing shells, or valves. They are related to
clams, mussels, and other commonly known and often edible mollusks. Many oysters, like other bivalves, release sperm and eggs separately in the water, where they meet and fertilize to form embryos outside the body of
the mother. But Olympia oysters retain eggs within the mother’s shell. They “brood” their embryos for several
weeks before releasing the young, now called larvae, into the water column. Native Olympia oysters adhere to
rocks, shells, and other hard substrates. Their former species name “conchaphila” translates from Latin to “shell
loving”. This name alludes to the fact that past generations of oysters can provide habitat to future generations,
in this way they are excellent reef builders. The Olympia oyster is the only oyster species native to the Pacific
Northwest. It is reported to occur from Panama to Sitka, Alaska. Although some populations thrive in pure
seawater, this oyster’s preferred habitat is usually restricted to bays and estuaries with brackish water. It can be
challenging to distinguish native Olympia oysters from non-native Pacific oysters without careful examination.
Pacific oysters have thicker shells than Olympia oysters. In addition, the insides of Olympia oyster shells are
often pale purple tinged with green, while Pacific oyster shells are light gray or white.
Oyster Ecosystem Services
Oysters provide a number of services to ecosystems. Oysters feed on bacteria and microscopic plants known
as phytoplankton through a process called filter-feeding. Oysters are known for their great capacity to filter
food from the water. It has been estimated that an average adult Olympia oyster can filter up to 12 gallons of
water a day. The removal of large quantities of plankton from estuary water improves water quality through
reducing turbidity and algal blooms while maintaining nutrient balance. The ability to gain their energy needs
from phytoplankton makes the oyster a dominant primary consumer in estuarine
food webs. Oysters also make an important food for various secondary consumAnnie Ditallo gathering
ers including fish, crabs, sea stars and sea birds. Young oysters tend to settle near
Rock oysters in Newport
other oysters, forming large beds. These beds help stabilize the muddy bottom of the
estuary and improve habitat conditions for eelgrass, an important estuarine plant.
The hard, complex surfaces provided by beds of oysters provide a unique habitat in
which other estuarine animals can hide, settle, or lay eggs. In this way, a substantial
oyster population increases species diversity. Lastly, oysters play an important role
in carbon sequestration because their shells absorb carbon as they grow.
Native Olympia Oyster Restoration in Yaquina Bay
Prior to Euro-Americans arrival in the Yaquina Bay area and subsequent over harvesting, Olympia oysters were a major food source of the coastal Tribes. Olympia
oysters have been identified by the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians as cultural
and ecological restoration priorities, recognizing their importance to preserving
cultural traditions, restoring traditional food sources, and benefiting community
health. The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, The Wetlands Conservancy, and Oregon Oyster Farms have
partnered up to restore Olympia oysters at Poole Slough in the Yaquina Bay. By spreading oyster shell along the
bottom of the channel, substrate is provided for juvenile native Olympia oysters to settle on, grow, and hopefully reproduce, providing a source population for this significant resource.
30

Estuaries
Lesson 5

Oyster Ecosystem Services
& Restoration

Teacher Directions
Activity #1: Oyster Ecosystem Services

adapted from “I can See Clearly Now- A Demonstration in Filter-Feeding” in the Project PORTS Curriculum Guide 3

1. Begin this lesson with a short discussion about how oysters feed and what they eat. Ask the students:
What are some of the ecosystem benefits of oysters? How do you think oysters affect water quality?
2. Show the students these YouTube videos to demonstrate how Oysters positively effect water quality:
“Time-lapse: Oysters Filtering Water” https://youtu.be/VTuBbuUro4g and “Oyster Filtration” https://
youtu.be/saAy7GfLq4w
3. Explain to the students that they are going to conduct an experiment about oyster water filtration
similar to the one in the second time-lapse video. Work together to establish a hypothesis for the
experiment. Help them design the experiment, explaining what materials are on hand, and the need for
a control and a treatment tank. Develop an experiment observation sheet with the students to monitor
the tanks over a week long period.
4. Oyster Water Filtration Experiment Procedures:
a. Set up two aquarium tanks with aerators in a visible location in the classroom.
b. Have student volunteers pour approximately 2 gallons of water into each tank. This can be saltwater
from the ocean, or you can mix tap water with Instant Ocean Aquarium Salt to 15 ppt and an
aquarium dechlorinator. Once the water is ready turn the aerator on in the tanks.
c. Add approximately 2 mL of phytoplankton(usually in the form of algal paste) to both of the tanks.
d. Place 5-10 live oysters in one tank and label it “treatment.”
e. Label the tank without oysters “control.”
f. Explain the meaning of the tank labels and have the students hypothesize what the tanks will look
like the next morning.
g. Observe the tanks after 24 hours and document differences in the clarity of the water in each tank.
h. Have students write up a laboratory report on the experiment.

Treatment

Control
31

Estuaries
Lesson 5

Oyster Ecosystem Services
& Restoration

Teacher Directions
Activity #2: Design an Oyster Reef

adapted from “How do you make an oyster reef? Part 1” in the Billion Oyster Project Curriculum.

1. Begin this lesson with a short discussion about native Olympia oysters and the need for their restoration.
Ask the students: Why do you think Olympia oysters almost went extinct? What methods do you think
people have used to increase their numbers?
2. Show the students these YouTube videos to help them understand the methods of oyster restoration “Our
Yaquina Bay Oyster Story” https://youtu.be/_hhPGKYNcts and “Oyster Reef Restoration: The American
Southeast” https://youtu.be/r5dCMLRH6sw and “Oyster Restoration” https://youtu.be/vKrfez3TU6c
3. Use a projector or document camera to show the students the photos of oyster reefs and oyster
restoration projects from the next page. Discuss the different methods and materials used in oyster reef
restoration. The current restoration process used by the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians in Yaquina
bay involves spawning adult oysters in a hatchery and letting the babies attach to shells from harvested
oysters. Then they hang that shell from docks in the bay for a few months while the babies feed on
plankton. Those that survive are then moved to ropes and placed at new sites in the bay where they are
monitored for several months.
4. Break the students into small groups of 3-4 and give them the “Oyster Reef Design Worksheet.” Each
group will need to design an Olympia oyster reef restoration project including deciding on the benthic
layer, reef materials, details about the oysters/shells, and what their reef will attach to. Once they have
made all of these decisions and filled out the worksheet they will need to sketch a diagram of their
proposed reef on the back of the worksheet or on another sheet of paper.
5. Once all of the groups have completed their design have them present it to the rest of the class. Use a
document camera to project the oyster reef design sketches. Make time for questions and comments at
the end of each presenation.
6. After the presentations have been completed lead a discussion about the differences and similarities
between the different designs, and which designs they think will be most effective in meeting the
restoration goal. After seeing others’ designs would they make any changes to their design?

The native Olympia oyster restoration process
used by the Confederated Tribes of Siletz
Indians in Yaquina bay involves spawning
adult oysters in a hatchery and letting the
babies (spat) attach to shells from harvested
oysters. Then the shell is hung from docks
in the bay for a few months while the babies
feed on plankton. Those that survive are then
moved to ropes and placed at new sites in the
bay.

32

Estuaries
Lesson 5

Oyster Ecosystem Services
& Restoration

Examples of Oyster Reef Restoration Materials & Designs
Example of a healthy oyster reef

Reef made of oyster shells in mesh bags

Reef made of rebar and metal
fencing filled with oyster
shells
Oyster reef made
of pre-cast concrete
rings
“Reef balls” made of pre-cast
concrete

Metal oyster cages full of
shells donated by restaurants

33

Estuaries
Lesson 5

Oyster Ecosystem Services
& Restoration
Oyster Reef Design Worksheet

Oyster Reef
Creation in
Yaquina Bay

Restoration goal: restore native Olympia oysters to be self-sustaining in
Oregon estuaries.
A self-sustaining population of oysters is generally found in a large reef, where
immature oysters settle on the shells of older oysters, who may be still living or
already dead. Use that fact to help you discuss the following issues with your
group. Then use the back of this worksheet or another piece of paper to sketch
your group’s proposed reef design. Be sure to include and label:
The benthic layer (what is sitting on the bottom surface underwater)
Other materials that are part of your reef
These materials include:______________________________________________________________
Details about your oysters or oyster shells, such as
Just shells? Spat (baby oysters) on shell? Mature oysters? Some combination?
My oysters will be:__________________________________________________________________
How are the oysters or shells held in position (or not), such as attached to each other somehow? In mesh bags?
In cages? Embedded in concrete? Tied to ropes? Unattached, sitting in the harbor mud? Attached to a dock or
other structure somehow?
My oysters are held together by:_______________________________________________________
My reef is attached to:__________________________________________________________________
Other features that have not been mentioned that you think would improve your oyster reef:

Sketch your reef on the other side of this worksheet
or on a seperate piece of paper

34

Examples of project footprints and reef areas in projects with a patchy substrate distribution (left), projects
comprised of multiple, distinct planned reefs (middle),
and projects with a single uniform substrate distribution (right). The green line denotes the outline of the
project footprint while the blue shaded polygons denote
the reef area.

Estuaries
Lesson 5

Oyster Ecosystem Services
& Restoration
The Shell Game

Many tribal customs included games that were played for fun socially or as a competition.
To make them more competitive or higher stakes, we gambled using something that was
valuable to us. Shells were a resource that was readily available to us and we made tools,
money and regalia out of them. We have adapted a traditional game for use in the classroom.
To make your playing deck use:
• 10 wooden bamboo skewers with the ends cut flat.
• 4 small shells that have a flat side. Cowry, oyster, or cockle shells will work well
as long as they are small enough that all four can fit your hands like dice.
The game begins with all 10 tally sticks in the middle. Players take turns shaking the four
shells in their hands and dropping them. Scoring is based on the table below. As players
win points, they may take tally sticks from the pile in the middle. When these are gone,
players take sticks from their opponents when they win points. The first person to have all
the sticks, wins.
2 shells up and 2 shells down - 3 points
All shells up -
1 point
All shells down -
1 point
The winning person would yell:
A team would yell:

xaa~-ghii-la! (I won!)
xaa-ghit-la! (We won!)

You can create a fun game with items collected in nature (unique rocks, decorated/marked
pieces of wood, smaller shells, etc.)

35

Estuaries
Lesson 5

Oyster Ecosystem Services
& Restoration

In the Field!
Contact an organization working on oyster restoration in an estuary nearby. Find out
if your class can volunteer to participate in an aspect of oyster reef restoration. This
might involve filling mesh bags with oyster shells and placing them at low tide, or
throwing shells off of a boat. Alternatively go on a field trip to a commercial oyster
grower to learn about the process for cultivating oysters.

Science Inquiry
Discuss ways that you could measure the effectiveness of your artificial oyster reef designs if
they were actually built. How do restoration scientists monitor and assess oyster restoration
projects? Use the Oyster Habitat Restoration Monitoring and Assessment Handbook to research
these methods, or invite a restoration scientist to give a talk to your class.

ction
e
l
ef
R

Assessment

What are some of the nutritional
benefits of eating oysters? Does
your family or culture have a recipe
for oysters? What are ways that
native americans harvested oysters
traditionally and sustainably?

1

Describe three ways that oysters
benefit the estuary ecosystem.

2

Name some of the materials used
to create artificial oyster reefs.

3

Explain one reason native Olympia
oysters almost went extinct.

Resources
◆◆ Reestablishing Olympia Oyster Populations in Puget Sound, Washington:
https://wsg.washington.edu/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/Reestablishing-Olympia-Oyster.pdf
◆◆ New York Harbor School. Billion Oyster Project Curriculum: http://100.26.103.210/lessons
◆◆ Oyster Habitat Restoration Monitoring & Assessment Handbook http://www.oyster-restoration.org/wp-content/
uploads/2014/01/Oyster-Habitat-Restoration-Monitoring-and-Assessment-Handbook.pdf
◆◆ Rutgers University. Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory. Project PORTS. Oyster Biology and Ecology Curriculum:
https://hsrl.rutgers.edu/PORTS/index.OysterBiologyEcology.Guide.htm
36

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/tribal%3Aconfederated_siletz%3A0759c2d587ef4b0d. Public record. Not legal advice.