Help my students pioneer our school's newest science course: aquatic science! The state curriculum requires that we monitor an aquatic ecosystem for the entirety of the school year. Because it's a new course, my students and I will be trying to build everything from ground zero!
The students at my school come from all different walks of life.
The high school I teach at is in the suburbs of Texas. Our community is diverse in both culture and economic status. Texas recently adopted a new requirement for students called the 4x4 plan. It requires that all students take a fourth year of science in high school. Because of this, there was a need for more science choices for seniors. Our new aquatic science program will be mostly for seniors preparing to leave high school and enter either college or the working world. There will also be junior level students who take the class looking to "double-up" on science in order to make more room in their senior year class schedule. Whether they are juniors or seniors, they chose aquatic science over the other fourth year science classes, so they are interested in learning about this subject.
My Project
In aquatic science, students will be required to monitor and maintain an ecosystem for the entirety of the school year. This will foster both responsibility and good teamwork skills for their futures as well as giving them hands on experience with the intricacies of living organisms.
Students will work in groups of 4-5 to determine feeding schedules, budgets, and which species of plants and animals to include in their aquariums. Students will monitor water quality by doing tests on pH level, mineral levels, and bacteria concentration. Their data will be kept in an aquarium journal and periodic reports will be turned in for grading.
Without these tanks and tank supplies, my students would be paying for nearly all of their equipment. I have been working on local donations, but unfortunately still need more help. My students are very excited to do this project next year, and I want to be able to provide adequate resources for their learning.
Our curriculum states that a natural ecosystem is preferred to an artificial ecosystem, but our school's local stream is in an area undergoing constant construction.
Going to a local pond or stream to monitor an ecosystem would not be as beneficial to them as maintaining an ecosystem for themselves. Students will become attached to their aquariums because they are more tangible than an out of classroom site. Students will feel compelled to take ownership of what they learn in my class.
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