Monterey Bay Aquarium
886 Cannery Row
Monterey, California 93940
Driving & Parking Directions

Regular Hours
10 a.m.–6 p.m. Daily
Closed Dec. 25

Summer (May 26–Sept. 1)
9:30 a.m.–6 p.m.

Summer Weekends
(July 5–Sept. 1) Sat. & Sun.
9:30 a.m.–8:00 p.m.

Holidays
9:30 a.m.–6 p.m.

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Mystery Fish

(Grade 3-5, Age 8-10)

What if your students woke up one morning and discovered they had fins and scales? Which ocean habitat would they call "home?" Help them discover the answers to these and other fish mysteries through the aquarium's Ocean Explorer Mystery Fish standards-based teaching unit. The unit integrates a field trip to the aquarium and pre-visit and post-visit classroom activities.

Download the Complete Activity Guide (44 pgs)

Grade Level: 3-5

California Science Standards

Ocean Explorers Program (more info)

Teacher Activity Guide Contents

	Pre-Visit	At the Aquarium	Post-Visit

Teaching Unit Overview and Fish Background Information (4 pgs) An overview of the activities in this teaching unit and background information about fish.

Fish ID Cards, Clue Cards and Habitat Photos (17 pgs) These printable fish illustrations with ID keys, clue card handouts and habitat photos are used in several of the Mystery Fish activities.

Mystery Fish Exploration Guide (2 pgs) Chaperones use the Group Exploration Guide to record student observations during their focused aquarium visit. At the Outer Bay and Kelp Forest exhibits, they compare the characteristics and behaviors of two fish: the tuna and sheephead. Students then encounter the "mystery fish" and try to determine which habitat is its home. Standards

De-Code a Fish (3 pgs) Students become detectives and use clues to decipher how the body parts of a fish impact its ability to move, find food and protect itself. Standards

Fishy Habitats (3 pgs) Students investigate fish and their habitats. They use what they've learned to match different fish with a habitat where the fish can survive. Standards

Mystery Fish Poetry (3 pgs) Students make observations of fish and create Venn diagrams to compare fish that live in different habitats. They use their information to create diamante fish poems. Standards

Design a Mystery Fish (3 pgs) Students choose ocean habitats and design mystery fish using information they have compiled about fish and fish habitats. They create clues to help classmates figure out where the mystery fish live. Standards

What's in a Name? (6 pgs) Using a prefix and suffix chart, students "translate" the scientific names of specific fish and create drawings based on the "translations." Standards

If I Were a Fish (3 pgs) This culminating activity encourages students to include all they have learned about fish characteristics, behaviors, habitats and conservation in a creative story. Using their handprint or footprint as an outline, they draw fish to illustrate their stories. Standards

Online Resources

Animal Field Guide Online field guide of marine animals and plants with photos, diet, range, habitat and conservation notes.	Fish Fact Cards Printable animal fact cards including fish in several different habitats.	Sea Searchers Handbook: Fishes Chapter Background information about how fish are adapted for specific habitats.

Video Library Short video clips of shark movement and feeding to watch online.	Crunch, Nibble, Gulp, Bite (Interactive) Play this online game to find out "who likes to eat what for lunch" in the coral reef.	Live Web Cams Watch and observe sharks and many different kind of fish on our live Kelp Forest and Outer Bay web cams.

Habitat Posters Six color printable natural history posters with standards based classroom activities. Themes are Kelp Forest, Rocky Shore, Sandy Beach, Wetlands, Deep Sea and Coral Reef.

California Science Standards

Mystery Fish Exploration Guide (in the aquarium)	Grade 3: 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 5a, 5b Grade 4: 2a, 2b, 2c, 3a, 3b, 3c, 6a Grade 5: 6c, 6h, 6i

De-Code a Fish	Grade 3: 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 5b, 5e Grade 4: 2b, 3a, 3b, 6a, 6f Grade 5: 2a, 2b, 6a, 6g, 6h

Fishy Habitats	Grade 3: 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 5b, 5e Grade 4: 2b, 3a, 3b, 6a Grade 5: 2a, 2b, 6a, 6g, 6h

Mystery Fish Poetry	Grade 3: 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 5b Grade 4: 2b, 3a, 3b, 6a, 6f Grade 5: 2a, 2b, 6a, 6h

Design a Mystery Fish	Grade 3: 1a, 2a, 2c, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 5a, 5b, 5e Grade 4: 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 6a Grade 5: 2a, 2b, 2c, 3a, 6a, 6g, 6h

What's in a Name?	Grade 3: 3a, 3b, 5e Grade 4: 3a, 3b, 6a Grade 5: 6a

If I Were a Fish	Grade 3: 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 5c Grade 4: 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 6b, 6e Grade 5: 2b, 2c, 6a, 6g

Inspiring conservation of the oceans

Mystery Fish

(Grade 3-5, Age 8-10)

Download the Complete Activity Guide (44 pgs)

Teacher Activity Guide Contents

Online Resources

California Science Standards

Mystery Fish Exploration Guide

De-Code a Fish

Fishy Habitats

Mystery Fish Poetry

Design a Mystery Fish

What's in a Name?

If I Were a Fish