by Astra Palmer

4th grade students using their observational skills to count the salmon returning to Clark's Creek.

Rain or shine, every fourth-grade class in Puyallup School District observed salmon returning home this fall! Through September to December, Pierce Conservation District helped the Puyallup Hatchery Foundation welcome over 1,600 fourth graders to the hatchery for an outdoor STEM learning adventure into the life cycle of salmon. The students explored the hatchery and adjacent Clarks Creek, learning about the different aspects of salmon habitat and life history along the way. 

PCD Americorps member Astra Palmer explains how salmon find their way home to Clarks Creek to the 4th graders.

At one spot, the fourth graders discovered how salmon transform from eggs into colorful spawning adults throughout an incredible migratory journey. The salmon that survived their journey back to Clarks Creek were celebrated with enthusiastic curiosity by the fourth graders that had the special opportunity to observe their return. 

A huge thank you to our Education Docents at Pierce Conservation District that helped inspire future generations of salmon stewards on these field trips! Interested in helping out with salmon field trips in the future? Check out our Volunteer Docent Program!