Choose Learning Type ▼

Fish Scales

Activity

Create Your Own Pattern

If you feel or look closely at the scales on a fish, they are in a layered, repeating pattern almost like a symmetrical piece of art. Use your artistic skills and creativity to create your own fish scale pattern using a unique repeating design.
white and rose gold colored fish scales
ichthy1
ichth1

Science Seed

Not all fish have scales, and not all scales are the same. However, they serve similar purposes. Scales function by protecting the fish from predators, injury, and parasites like a suit of armor. In addition, scales help streamline the fish to decrease water resistance while swimming. Some fish scales are very large and hard, like the Black Drum fish in the Gulf of Mexico. While the scales of sharks are made out of the same material as sharks’ teeth so they are called denticles and feel like rough sandpaper. Hagfish have smooth skin and make huge amounts of slimy mucous on their skin to protect them from diseases and predators who can’t hold onto them. Some species of catfish have no scales at all but have plates of hard armour to protect them instead.
botany jar illustration

move to the next activity

earn Badges

Badges can be earned through hands-on experiences within each of the 16 branches of science, or “Science Slices.” You can earn a badge in each branch of science by doing four activities in these categories. We also encourage participants to keep a Nature Journal to record their memories, and to express themselves creatively through writing or drawing after each activity. We recommend that each child (and parent if they’d like) write or draw in a journal after each activity, with expectations of your children that match their age (the goal is self-expression, not perfection).

Explore Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

The Ecologist School Pocket Guide: TSBVI edition is a collaboration between Families in Nature and the Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired as an effort to help our community learn more about the TSBVI campus, while getting outside into nature together! This booklet has 80 lessons across 16 different branches of science to help you play, learn, and volunteer on campus!

join Families in Nature

It is our vision to inspire all families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists. Becoming a member of Families in Nature will give your family the opportunity to have adventures in nature, experience field science, develop as youth conservation leaders, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Memberships are free for everyone.

Who are we?

Families in Nature works to create opportunities for nature connection with the purpose of sparking a deep love and desire to protect, conserve and restore the environment. Our mission is to connect children and their families to nature and to each other through time spent learning, playing, and volunteering outdoors. It is our vision to inspire ALL families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists.
Skip to content