Our seventh grade scientists have been taking their learning outdoors this fall! Science 7 Team Leader Joy Pryde-Haskins shared this reflection on their experiences.

Seventh grade science classes are learning about ecosystems through Project Based Learning Units (PBLs).These experiences have allowed our Science 7 classes to engage in real-world, authentic learning experiences that have not only enhanced their knowledge of science, but also helped them develop essential Portrait of a Graduate skills!

For the first PBL, called “EcoPONDerings,” students were tasked with determining what kinds of fish could be added to the Courtyard Pond.  Students constructed an aquarium in the classroom in order to understand the components of an aquatic ecosystem. Students conducted water quality tests on both the aquarium and the pond, in order to understand how things like the amount of nitrite, dissolved oxygen, and pH changed over time.  Students also learned how to monitor the weather conditions in order to understand how weather could affect the pond ecosystem.  The project culminated with students writing a letter recommending which fish would be best suited to add to the pond given its environmental conditions.

The second PBL students engaged in was called “Campus Consequences.”  This PBL began with students visiting the Cub Run River on their Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) Field Trip.  On the MWEE, students assessed the health of the Cub Run River, and learned about how human actions can affect it.  Armed with this knowledge, students then began to look at how their own school can impact the local streams.  Students identified areas on the school grounds which could potentially generate sediment, nutrients, or toxic pollution.  They located on maps the streams closest to the school, and followed their path all the way to the Chesapeake Bay. Then students were tasked with proposing a project that the Eco Club, Rocky Run’s after school environmental club, could implement to help mitigate the amount of stormwater runoff coming from the school grounds.  Students created Flip videos to try to convince the Eco Club that their idea would have the most beneficial impact on the local streams.

In addition to learning about ecosystems, watersheds, and human impacts on the environment, students developed several Portrait of a Graduate skills through these PBLs.  By addressing an authentic audience, they worked on their Communicator skills.  They worked in groups during the “Campus Consequences” PBL, which provided the opportunity to develop their Collaborator skills.  The decision-making process they went through in each PBL required Critical and Creative Thinking skills.  And, the focus on our impact on the environment allowed them to become better Ethical and Global Citizens.

Check out the photos from the students’ study of our courtyard ecosystem and their MWEE field trip!