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UNDERWATER EXPLORATION
Open water, tropical temperatures, beaches and boats – ok, now we’re describing a trip that sounds more relaxing to me than hunting spiders in the mud! Can you imagine getting a chance to do some snorkeling and diving as a high school field study? This was a really cool trip that 12 students took to Key Largo, Florida this summer to study and map four historic shipwrecks. Once again, the PAST Foundation and Battelle made this experience possible.
The student’s role was to make a general survey of each site, and prepare information guides for diving and snorkeling that outline the history of the wreck, its marine life and the natural environment. Several of the students took scuba diving lessons in preparation for the trip and the rest spent much of their time snorkeling around the wrecks.
During the week, they visited a bird sanctuary, learned about coral growth and the “flora and fauna” that live in the ecosystems created by the shipwrecks. They took measurements, made notes and gave presentations about each of the sites. They also had a heated competition as to which team could make the most interesting sea-themed salad. To see more photos, read their journals and check out the salads, go to www.pastfoundation.org/2008FloridaMarineEcosystems
Three of the students did internships with PAST Foundation this trimester and worked on making podcasts of their adventures. A student’s journal entry describing a day of snorkeling:
We went to the Tonawanda shipwreck where we saw many varieties of fish. We learned that barracuda are scarier when they are closer, because there was one that got within a foot of us! We ended up leaving the Tonawanda in order to get away from the high waves. We went to a double barge wreck, which had many fish that we had never seen before; including queen angelfish, barred jacks and box fish. It was a day of hurling excitement, chucking the limit to the winds, and other barf related activities. We really enjoyed the newer unique fish and coral and learned a lot.
Erica taking measurements on the wreck of the James Baird. |
- - Posted December 4, 2008 - -
Diana Wolterman is on a special assignment at Metro High School, where she will play a key role in furthering the collaboration between the private sector and education, including special projects to connect Battelle staff with the activities in the school, assisting with tours and visits, developing and implementing new experience-based curriculum support, and helping to document the process of creating a new STEM-focused learning experience. Diana also will document Battelle’s successes and missteps at Metro to help the organization learn from the experience and make good decisions going forward at Metro and in other educational activities.
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