Here's an unusual approach to ensuring the survival of a species! Introduce young biologists to the California grunion, a fish that mates on land rather than in the water. The video shows how grunion make use of time and the tide to leave their little ones high and dry, as well as the frys' eye view and their escape from their sandy nursery.

Concepts

fish, sexual reproduction, eggs, sand, beaches, animal adaptations

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Use the video to show an interesting animal adaptation
• Extend the lesson by researching how many young grunion survive to adulthood versus other species of fish that reproduce in the water

Classroom Considerations

• Despite the mature-sounding title, the content is for middle- and high-school learners

• This video is hosted on YouTube

Pros

• The narrator explains the chemical processes involved in getting the young fish out of their eggs in simple terms
• Up-close images of both adults and eggs surviving in the sand are very engaging

Cons

• None

Common Core

SL.6.2 SL.7.2 SL.9-10.2