3rd grade:
On Thursday June 3rd, the third grade participated in an educational
program at East Neck Island sponsored by the Center for Environment
and Society of Washington College. Students attended a presentation
by Martha Schaum of the Department of Natural Resources focused on the
horseshoe crab. The presentation was a follow up to classroom study
of this prehistoric creature. This creature is important to the migratory
shore birds that use the refuge as a stop over along their flyway. Female
horseshoe crabs lay somewhere in the neighborhood of 80,000 eggs each,
which provides a necessary food source for the birds.
After the presentation, the students enjoyed a picnic lunch of fried
chicken, strawberries, chips and cake. The afternoon found us at the
secret Ingleside Beach where we conducted a variety of chemical and
biotic water quality assessments. Using Senator Bernie
Fowler’s method, we determined a rather unscientific, but fairly
accurate, assessment of turbidity (water clarity). How far out can we
go and still see our toes? We stopped at 36 inches! Using seine nets
we collected numerous samples of living organisms, including 4 or 5
different minnow species, grass shrimp, and blue crabs to name a few.
Students also performed chemical tests for pH, dissolved oxygen, and
nitrates. Although we worked very hard, we had a terrific day and developed
a beginning understanding of the ecosystem of the Chesapeake Bay.
4th grade:
After a year of classroom study of the history of the Chesapeake Bay
watershed, students in the 4th grade spent 3 days and 2 nights experiencing
the unique environment surrounding one of the few remaining inhabited
islands of the Bay, Smith Island. Located in
the middle of the Chesapeake Bay and straddling the Maryland, Virginia
line, Smith Island is the perfect place to study our area’s limited
resources and this fragile ecosystem we so often take for granted.
As guests of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Island Study Center,
located in the tiny community of Tylerton, students were guided through
an extensive array of activities designed to immerse them in the unique
culture of a community that is dependent upon a healthy ecosystem. Whether
setting or pulling crab pots, scraping grass beds, gut running with
Captain Wes, “proggin” on Holland Island, observing the
heron and pelican rookeries, or eating Mary Ada Marshall’s famous
crabcakes and Smith Island cakes, the students were amazed and intrigued
with their experiences.
In this day of high technology where children are bombarded with TV,
video games, computers, and highly scheduled sporting activities, making
a connection to the natural world is often a lost art. Three days of
sun up to sun down exploration of the world
around them, gave the children a different perspective. As they explored
the flora and fauna of the Chesapeake Bay estuary, the children saw
first hand the interdependence of species and man’s place in the
natural order of things. By immersing themselves
(literally!!) in their environment, there was a new respect emerging
and sense of stewardship for this precious ecosystem.