Dinah: Welcome to Farm to School Northeast, a podcast where we explore the creative ways that local food is getting into school cafeterias and how food system education is playing out in classrooms and school gardens across the northeast. Today we have the chance to have all of our burning questions about trout answered by grade four students as we listen to their podcast called “Trout Tales”. But before that, we will get some background from educator Julia Marchessault, fourth grade teacher at Sustainability Academy in Burlington, Vermont. The Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes Elementary is a public pre-K to five magnet school in Burlington, Vermont that integrates sustainability into its curriculum. Created by the Burlington School District in partnership with Shelburne Farms, it is the first sustainability themed elementary school in the United States and focuses on real world projects like farmer's markets and community beautification. The project we are going to hear about today is called Trout Tales, a student-created podcast that celebrates the school's study of brook trout and the strong connection the schoolwide community built through this learning. Welcome, Julia.

Julia: Thank you for having me. I'm excited to be here. My name's Julia Marchessault, and I teach at the Sustainability Academy in Burlington, Vermont. Like you said, our school's pre-K through five and our work really centers around helping students understand connections between people, between systems, between ourselves and the places we live. And so when I think about farm to school, I see it as another way of exploring those same ideas. It's really about understanding where things come from, how we're all part of a larger system, and how our choices affect our community and environment, and that is the kind of thinking, like seeing relationships, noticing interdependence and valuing diversity is really at the heart of what we do at SA. So while the focus from farm to school might look different in our classrooms, our underlying goals are really similar, really helping kids build strong sense of connection and belonging, seeing themselves as active participants in the world.

Dinah: Julia, we're going to be listening to a podcast about trout, and can you walk us through how this Trout Tails podcast project came to be? What was the unit of study and who was involved?

Julia: Great. Yes, I love to talk about this. The Trout Tails podcast grew out of a fourth grade study of Brook Trout, which began with a partnership with Trout Unlimited. And each year we raise brook trout from eggs all the way we see them through their life cycle until we release them into the local stream. It's really from January till May. It's such a special experience. Students are checking the tank daily. We track water quality, observe the trout's lifecycle, and everybody in the school ends up forming a pretty cool connection with the trout by the time we send them off to their next adventure. So our learning was focused on trout habitat, lifecycle and adaptations, and at a similar time in literacy we're studying animal adaptations. So it connected pretty perfectly and as the students learned about how trout survive and thrive, they also practiced through the lens of research, reading and writing.

Last year, every year it's kind of grown, the project. And last year our fourth graders became what we called trout ambassadors. They wanted to share their knowledge beyond our classrooms. So some made zines, mini magazines are making a comeback, others created multilingual posters. And one group, the group I worked with, developed the Trout Tails podcast to teach the rest of the school and our community what we've learned. And so last summer at the Shelburne Farms Foundations course, I met you and was inspired to buy a podcast microphone. I explored Soundtrap, which luckily our music teacher had already been using and the students were familiar and I really needed that because they helped with the tech part a lot. So it was awesome because it was really about student voice and it had such an authentic purpose. They were learning about the environment, but they were also teaching others and helping our community care more deeply about it. They had to really synthesize their learning, you'll hear, into those different segments and they could use their own passion and write a story or informational moments, or you'll even hear some trout commercial breaks. So everything down to the music that was composed was student made.

Dinah: How did you connect with the local community to make this project successful? And could you describe some of the important partnerships that you had?

Julia: Absolutely. It was really a community effort, both inside our school and first just, I mean, always a shout out to the Sustainability Academy. It's a really special community, and I'm so lucky to work with such talented educators who helped us bring all of these ideas and energy to make it meaningful. And so within our school, we are just, again, so lucky. We have an education for sustainability coach. We also have a project-based learning coordinator and our art teacher who helped really take big ideas and make them happen. My teaching partner, Jen Lucy, we both teach fourth grade, and we are working closely to make sure the experience feels real and doable within all the other things that have to be done. And so we're working with them as a team, meeting, checking in. And then beyond school, we're fortunate we have a lot of partners in the community and then we have people in our school who are helping to make these connections with community members.

And we always have, one of our school partners is Shelburne Farms, who continually supports us in weaving in sustainability and place-based learning. For this particular project, we also collaborated with local educators, UVM PhD students who were studying aquatic macro invertebrates who helped deepen the science learning behind it and connect students to real community experts and scientists. We also had, on the creative side, students got guidance from a local artist who helped bring their trout zines to life, which is something I don’t know how to do. And it builds on our former beginning relationship with Trout Unlimited, who originally helped us start the trout raising program. And they've now passed along the responsibility for managing the trout setup tank set up, which is more complex than you might think. So all these partnerships and more, I'm sure I'm forgetting somebody, but really along with our incredible families at SA culminated in a very joyful trout parade, which happened after the trout podcast at the very end of the year. And it's really where the whole community came together to celebrate the students' learning and our shared care and love for the trout.

Dinah: I would love to be a witness to that trout parade. I bet it was a good time.

Julia: It made the news, so I'll send you the link.

Dinah: Great. Is there anything that I did not ask you that you'd like to share?

Julia: I think what really stands out to me most is the sense of connection and joy that this project created between students, between the environment and our communities. And I think when students are able to see themselves as scientists or storytellers or caretakers in the local environment, it really helps them develop such pride and purpose. And honestly, this work, this kind of work feels more important than ever. We keep saying that and it keeps getting more important and helping students build relationships with their place and their community, especially in a world that feels disconnected and fast paced, sometimes it really matters, and it's also not easy. Public schools are under so much pressure academically and socially and logistically, and there's just so much happening all of the time. And so I feel really proud of our team and our school who works very hard to make space for deep and place-based work.

And just knowing how much intention and time and effort it takes, it really can't happen on its own. And so what makes it so possible is the collaboration, like I mentioned, between teachers and families and community partners and students all working together and supporting one another. And that's what made it really real and meaningful. And the Trout Tales podcast wasn't just about the trout, it was really about helping students find their voice and their impact and celebrate their place in the world. And of course, the joy of the Trout Parade, which was the next step, was just the perfect way to end the year. It was one of those moments that reminded us all why we do this work, and how powerful it can be when learning and community and joy all come together. So stay tuned for Trout Parade 2026. We'll see what we do this year.

Dinah: So without further ado, I'm so excited to premiere Trout Tales and to celebrate the voices of once fourth graders, now fifth graders, at Sustainability Academy, and also to allow us all to appreciate the knowledge we're going to gain about trout. So thank you so much, Julia. We're really excited for your students to also get to hear themselves.

Julia: Thank you so much. I'm super excited and so glad to celebrate them.

Trout Tales Podcast

Hello, you are listening to Trout Tales and we are Luna, Ruby, Maya, Mabel, Aja, Frankie, Dontel, Violet and Destiny. And as you may have noticed from the name, this podcast is all about trout. For this episode, we'll guide you through the world of trout and the science slab to the trout stories. I guarantee you'll be amazed by this podcast. Now passing it on to Maya.

Here at this Sustainability Academy, we're lucky to work with an amazing program called Trout Unlimit. Every year, our fourth graders get to be part of something very special. We raise brook trout from tiny eggs all the way to when they're ready to be released into a local stream. We set the process in January when we receive our trout eggs. We keep them in a tank in our lobby where we can just carefully monitor their growth. As the trout grow, we learn a lot about their lifecycle from when they hatch as an alvin to when they're ready to swim in the wild. It's like watching them grow up. 

We don't just watch them though. We're also testing the water every week to make sure it's a perfect for them. Trout need clean, cold water with just the right amount of oxygen. So we keep track of everything from the temperature to the pH levels to ensure they're getting what they need. Along the way. We also feed them special fish food and observe their behavior. It's really fun to watch them grow stronger and smarter as they move through different stages of life. By the time June comes, our trout are ready to leave the tank and return to their home in a local stream. It's a big moment, not just for the trout, but for us too, because we know we've helped them in a strong start in life.

Introducing trout fish tanks, the perfect home for your trout because well, you need water to live. Can't just leave them in a cup. All things trouty. Join the squad and let your fish live their best life. 

Hey scientists! Welcome back to the Trout Tales, the podcast where fourth graders like us explore cool science topics and share what we learned. Today we're talking about a super important fish that lives right here in Vermont. The brook trout.

Brook trout are amazing because they can tell us a lot about how healthy our rivers and streams are. They only live in cold, clean, fresh water with lots of oxygen. So if you see a brook trout swimming in a stream, that's a good sign. But if they're missing from places they used to live, it could mean that something's wrong, like pollution, warmer water, or changes to the land. That's why scientists call them an indicator species. They help us keep an eye on how the ecosystem is doing.

Brook trout also fit in the food web. That means they eat aquatic macro invertebrates like mayfly and cactus flies, and then other animals like birds and otters might eat the trout. Everything is connected. So when we help protect brook trout, we're helping protect the whole ecosystem. Stay healthy from tiny water bugs to big animals.

But here's the coolest part, brook trout are native to Vermont. That means they lived here for a really long time, even before there were roads or towns.

So next time you near a stream, look closely. You might spot a flash of a brook trout swim by.

Hello, my name is Ruby, and today me and my friend Gio are going to tell you a story about a very brave trout named Mabel. Ooh, yes, Gio. It is a very good story. Anyway, our story begins in a lazy, cold river where a little trout is having some fun playing. This is so fun. But she was also a little lonely because all of her friends went to the big open lake. Maybe there were more micro invertebrates to snack on, she thought. Ooh! A macro invertebrate is a large, visible invertebrae animal, which is a lacking backbone that lives in a water environment. I wish I had someone to play with like a friend. I think I'm going to go to the big lake to find my friends. She sw past a pile of rocks. Oh, that one looks like a dog. And that one looks like a chicken. And that one looks like a salmon. Hello, my name is Sally. What is yours? Ah, it's a salmon. Sorry. You scared me. My name's Mabel. Do you want to help me find the big open lake? Okay. What is a big open lake? It's this big space filled with macro invertebrates to snack on and all my friends are there. Let's go. Wait a second. Do you know where the lake is? Oh, I didn't think about that. Mabel had forgotten that part. I get very bored just being alone around here, swimming, sleeping, and eating. So I guess I just forgot to plan, but now I have a friend that can help me find the lake… maybe we should get some cheese. Sally wanted to go, but she also wanted some cheese. Ooh, yes. Cheese. Ideas? Nope! It might seem a little weird, but I have a strong feeling about this direction. Okay with me, I just had cheese. As they swam, they started to notice that the water was getting colder and it had a stronger current. Is it just me or is it cold and getting harder to swim? I agree! They kept swimming until they found a trout. Look, it's a trout, just like me. We should ask if we're going in the right direction and if we're not, ask for directions. Excuse me, do you know where the lake is? Can you please tell us if you do? We really need directions. Need directions? You're right at the entrance of the lake. Have fun. Whoa. Is that Mabel? I think it is, Mabel. Hi Mabel. Where have you been? Who is that? This is Sally. I'm a salmon. You are friends with a salmon? That's so cool. Cool. Let's feast to celebrate your return. Ooh, you're hungry? Here. Have a micro invertebrate, sugar cookie. Bring on the micro invertebrates and cheese. Hahahaha. What? I like cheese! Today I have learned that you can have an adventure no matter what. You just have to look for it. Goodbye and never stop exploring. Thank you for listening to this story. We hope you enjoyed it. Oh, that's right. A micro invertebrate sugar cookie is a regular sugar cookie. Ha. You can't eat! 

Here are some frequently asked questions. First up, do trout sleep?

Half of the trout's mind is still active to stay alert if a predator is coming. They find and use their own spots to hide while their other half of their mind is asleep. 

What type of fish are these? They're brook trout.

How many trout are in Lake Champlain? Well, it's hard to know exactly how many brook trout live in Lake Champlain because the lake is really big and fish move around a lot. But brook trout don't really live in big open part of the lake. They like cold, clean water, so they mostly live in the small streams and rivers that flow into the lake.

There are different kinds of trout, not just brook trout. In the lake, you can find lake trout. Scientists have been helping lake trout by putting baby trout into the lake, and now those trout are starting to have babies on their own.

Brook Trout are still really important. They find they help show us if the streams and rivers are healthy. If brook trout are living there, that's a good sign. The water is clean and the ecosystem is doing well. 

How old are the trout in the lobby? They are fry stage at the moment. When brook trout fish hatch out of their eggs, they're called fry, it rhymes with pie. This one of the first stages of inner trout life fry are very small, only about the size of a paper clip or smaller. 

At first, they still have something called a yolk sac attached to their bellies. This little sac gives them food for a while, so they don't need to eat right away. Once the yolk sac is gone, the frys starts swimming around and looking for tiny things to eat, like plankton and tiny insects.

Fry usually stay in the shadow quiet parts of the stream where they can hide under rocks or plants. This helps them stay safe– stay safe from predators while they go bigger and stronger.

So in the fry stage, brook trout out very small just starting to swim, a small food hiding to stay safe.

Here are some fun facts:

There are about 30 species of trout around the world, and while many of them are called trout, some are actually different kinds of fish like steelhead, which is a type of rainbow trout. Each species of trout has its own unique features and habits, but they all show similar traits like sharp teeth and the need for clean, cool water.

Did you know that a single female trout can lay anywhere in between 20 and 5,000 eggs in one spawning season?

The number of eggs a trout can lay helps explain how important it is for them to have a safe environment, which with so many eggs, not all of them will survive. Especially since young trout are vulnerable to predators and changes in the environment. That's why it's important to keep our rivers and lakes clean and healthy. So that trout have a good chance of growing into strong adults.

Here is a great question to end on. Do trout ever stop swimming?

Nope. Trout never really stop swimming. Even if they look like they are floating in place. They're still moving a little to stay in the same spot. That's because they need water to keep loading over their gills so they can breathe. If they stop swimming completely, they wouldn't get enough oxygen.

Frankie here once again, I hope you had a great time learning about trout, and I hope you share these facts with your friends and family. Thanks for tuning in on today's episode, all about our amazing trout. Tune in next week for our deep dive on Salmon.

Dinah: This podcast is a production of the Northeast Farm to School collaborative. For more information about this podcast or farm to school in the northeast, go to northeast farm to school.org.