Trout Parr-ade

For the past few months, Sarah's second-grade class has been raising brook trout. They've watched the eggs hatch and the fish grow through various stages. During the second week of April, they held a Trout Troop Parade, carrying the tiny trout in plastic cups from school to the nearby Mill River. Families trooped along.

Before leaving the classroom, the kids recited "Michael Recycle," a story about an environmental crusader. They passed a microphone along the line and were all very professional about using it. 

Once at the river, they sang "Once I Was a Baby Trout" (to the tune of "Mary Had a Little Lamb"):

First I was a green egg, green egg, green egg

First I was a green egg sitting in my redd.

Then I was an eyed egg, eyed egg, eyed egg

Then I was an eyed egg my eyes grew on my head.

Then I started hatching, hatching, hatching

Then I started hatching the egg shell off my back.

Then I was an alevin, alevin, alevin

Then I was an alevin with a big yolk sac.

Then I had to use my yolk, use my yolk, use my yolk

Then I had to use my yolk I watched my belly shrink.

Then I was a little fry, little fry, little fry

Then I was a little fry, I wanted food, I think.

So I looked for bugs to eat, bugs to eat, bugs to eat

So I looked for bugs to eat, and I swam all around.

Soon I had my parr marks, parr marks, parr marks

Soon I had my parr marks and I could not be found.

NOW YOUR TIME WITH US IS DONE, US IS DONE, US IS DONE

NOW YOUR TIME WITH US IS DONE, WE HAD LOTS OF FUN!

NOW IT'S TIME TO SAY GOOD-BYE, SAY GOOD-BYE, SAY GOOD-BYE

NOW IT'S TIME TO SAY GOOD-BYE, WE'LL MISS YOU VERY MUCH!

Because the bank was really steep, the parents formed a bucket brigade to release the fish into the river (where, according to Don, they would soon be eaten by a merganser waiting downstream).

On the walk back, the kids stopped on the bridge to bid farewell to their fish friends.