Name ____________________________________________________ Date ________________________________ Period _____
Why do fish school?
North Carolina Aquariums | October 1997
CLAIM Underline or highlight the claim of the article that answers
the question, “Why do school fish?”
Whether navigating the waters of freshwater lakes or migrating
through the ocean, schooling fish draw benefits from their numbers.
Schooling has been the subject of many scientific studies, resulting
in a number of theories about this phenomenon.
EVIDENCE Number, underline, or highlight the pieces of evidence
Spadefish are just one of the many fish species that form
schools. Schooling allows fishes to swim longer, travel
through colder temperatures and avoid predators more
effectively than if they swam alone.
the article provides to support the claim
Fish form schools for protection from predators; “safety in numbers” is especially beneficial for young fish and
smaller species. Schools containing hundreds or thousands of nearly identical fish can confuse predators and make it
difficult to single out and attack an individual.
Small fish in a dense school, moving in unison, may discourage a predator by appearing as a single, much larger
creature.
Schooling makes it easier for fish to find food. With many more eyes on the lookout, more meals are possible. By
working as a team, a school may be able to seize larger food items than any one fish could manage to capture.
Another benefit of schooling is that it brings the sexes together and increases the odds of successful reproduction.
Many fish species form schools only when it is time to mate.
Schooling also increases the efficiency of swimming for fish. Drafting in the wake of their schoolmates allows fish to
conserve energy, swim longer and even consume less oxygen than they would if swimming alone.
Generally comprised of fish of the same age and size, schools typically face in one direction and exhibit
synchronized movements. Each fish maintains an exact spacing from its neighbor. As they swim, they follow the
movements of their neighbors and change their course in unison.
REASONING
According to the data, the behavior of schooling is a(n) individual / group (circle one) behavior. This behavior decreases
/ increases (circle one) the fitness of the individual. Schooling is an important evolutionary development of fish because
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