Read a children's fish story such as "What's It Like to Be a Fish?" by Wendy Pfeffer. Ask your children if they know how to fish and if they have a pet goldfish. Expand the fish topic by asking students to share what they know about fish and write the children's ideas on a flip chart or white board. Discuss the many varieties of fish, mentioning that some live in the salty water of the oceans and others in the fresh water of rivers, lakes and streams.
Bring in a whole, real fish purchased from a grocery store. Talk about how the children's legs and lungs permit them to breathe and play. Explain that the fish breathes and moves under the water because of gills that remove oxygen from the water and fins that enable swimming. Identify the gills, fins, scales, mouth and tail on the fish for the children.
Cover the whole fish with a thin layer of brightly colored paint and press the painted fish onto white paper. Ask the children to assist in labeling the gills, fins, scales, mouth and tail as you write the words onto the fish print. Let the children trace and color an angel fish. Encourage the children to point to the fins, gills, scales, mouth and tail on their angel fish.
Provide each child with a fish shape printed on heavy card stock. The children can glue buttons, scraps of aluminum foil or colored paper and glitter to cover the fish with scales. Use markers to make an eye and mouth. Explain that scales are an extra layer of protection for fish as they navigate obstacles and face predators in the water.
Discuss the fresh water and salt water environments of fish and how most people go fishing in fresh water locations such as rivers, lakes and ponds. Ask your children to share their experiences with fishing and if they helped a parent to cook their fish. Serve a fish-themed snack. Cut tuna fish sandwiches with a fish-shaped cookie cutter and add gummy fish to cups of blue gelatin.