Pond Study (2 hours)

This program will lead students into an investigation of the ecology of the pond and its watershed, focusing on the plant and animal relationships in this watery environment.  Students will rotate through the stations in order to learn about the ecology and relationships in the pond environment.  The maximum number of classes scheduled for the Pond Study is two.  The Pond Study program may be modified to accommodate one or two groups.

Shoreline Sampling

Students will be shown how to use nets in order to collect samples of the organisms found along the shoreline of the pond.  Students will then use nets in order to collect samples of these organisms.  With the assistance of the instructor and identification cards, students will learn to identify these organisms and relate them to their lifecycle and role in the ecosystem.  Students will also learn plant and animal relationships within the pond ecosystem and be able to distinguish between producers, consumers, and decomposers.  The impacts of the watershed, or land surrounding the pond, will also be connected to the wellbeing of life within the pond.

Aquatic Boat Tour

The group will first be oriented with the equipment used and the rules of behavior for the boat tour.  All students will wear life jackets as they then board a series of canoes that have been joined together to allow for group instruction and to secure the boats from tipping.  While in the canoes, the students will assist in collecting samples from the pond in order to discover the variations between the zones or depths of the pond.  Students will assist in collecting a detritus sample from the bottom of the pond and in measuring depth of the pond, sunlight penetration, surface and deeper water temperatures.  Plankton samples will also be collected for further observation under a microscope.  The various measurements will be related to the overall structure and function of the pond ecosystem.  All instructors for the boat tour are certified lifeguards.   

Pond Study Vocabualry