Skip to main content

(Frozen) Pond Life Class with NVLA

On the morning of December 12th, 2013, trail group B from Napa Valley Language Academy headed off to their Pond Life class, but this was not your typical Pond class. Due to the below freezing temperatures that we've had since the 7th, there was a 3" layer of ice covering the pond! This didn't stop these students from doing some hands-on data collection.
Chaperone and students determine the turbidity.

Searching for life in the pond

Measuring the temperature and depth of the pond.

In addition to collecting data, the students had a chance to observe nature, learn about haikus, and write one. Here are a few examples of what they came up with:

The pond never moves
It will always be in place
Yet, I will travel
-Mario Calderon

The pond is frozen
Yet trees around jump with life
But all life seems calm
-Azrael Hillyer

After exploring the pond and writing they headed into the lab to discover what microscopic life might live in the pond. Luckily we have a tank of pond water in our lab that is full of life, where as the 38 degree water from the pond would not have much life in it. The students found ostracods, oligochaetes,diatoms, volvox, parameciums, and more.


Here's what some students had to say about Pond Life class: "I really enjoyed the class. The pond was beautiful with snow and ice, and I liked getting to see all of the organisms you cannot see with your eyes.", "It was great looking at all of the life in the pond, both at the pond and through the microscopes.", "It was amazing to see microorganisms and how small they are."

Comments

  1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GArOKgo2vbM I also found a flatworm like in this video. (I couldn't relocate it for the monitor, but we did find an oligochaete.)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for sharing Kelly :-) It was great having you in class.

    ReplyDelete
  3. To make a nursery precious stone out of somewhat, cumbersome space with taking innovative capacity, organizing, avidness to work with the conditions you have Pond Liner Repair makes you prepared to make your pond worth seen as it prevent spills and oversee fabulousness of pond.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How to Start a School Environmental Club in 8 Easy Steps!

Hello students! Have you recently come to Sierra Outdoor School and want to continue the fun? Did you write an earth pledge in our Raptors and Conservation class and want to follow your dreams of helping the planet? Are you coming to Sierra Outdoor School in the future and are wondering how you can prepare for an awesome experience? Then creating an environmental club at your school may be the perfect idea for you! Making a club at your school can sound like a lot of work, but with our easy 8 step guide you'll have it up and running in no time! Step 1) Gather your friends! Get a group of friends together and talk about your goals and dreams for an environmental club.  Are there things you learned about protecting the planet, saving the animals, and reducing your earth footprint at Sierra Outdoor School that you want to continue doing at school?  Did you get inspired by the story of Olivia's Birds ( http://www.oliviabouler.net/ ...

Meet Our Interns: Part 3

Sarah Barker (Mariposa) Where are you from/where do you call home? I was born and raised in Fresno, CA ; fun fact, I attended Sierra Outdoor School as a sixth grader! What did you study in college? I completed my Liberal Studies Bachelor of Arts at California State University, Chico.  What in your childhood pointed to this as your job? I really enjoy teaching Wilderness Skills. It's an awesome opportunity for students to learn new skills, like using a compass and building a survival shelter. It's very different from the curriculum I've taught in the "traditional" classroom. What is your favorite class to teach at Sierra Outdoor School? Sierra Outdoor School is a wonderful place to be! The opportunity to live in a beautiful forest, impact students from all over California, and experience a different style of teaching was something I couldn't pass up. I look forward to taking everything I learn here and bringing t...

What's Going Down at SOS? ... Our Energy Consumption!

Did you know… the United States has less than 5% of the world’s population but consumes 19% of the world’s energy. On average, one American consumes as much energy as approximately 2 Japanese, 31 Indians, or 307 Tanzanians. Source: buff.ly/1hrtNtI   As we fight to slow climate change, our daily choices regarding energy use can make a big difference. In California, about 44% of the total energy consumed is by appliances, electronics, and lighting. Luckily, this is something we have a lot of control over! Here at SOS we reduce our energy consumption not only through our Pig Post program (see our December blog post), but also with a weekly energy competition! Wireless energy monitors located in each dorm record both real-time and cumulative energy use each day. Each monitor is surrounded by a poster explaining how the monitor works and why it is important. Read below! Students learn about the competition upon their arrival and begin participating the first momen...