The 2017-18 School Year is the 2nd year of our NOAA sponsored “Climate Resiliency Fellows” Program. Our aim is to “Create a dynamic community of informed teachers committed to involving their students in learning about and engaging in local climate change issues and climate resiliency projects.” Many thanks to all of our hard working teachers and students!
The following is from Simpson Elementary School Teacher Erica Fredrickson:
On a very cold day, February 23, 2018, with snow on the ground, our class went Winter Water Testing at Vance Creek Park in Elma, Washington. The air temperature was 28 degrees Fahrenheit and the water temp was a chilly 36 degrees Fahrenheit. We collected our samples, tried to eat our lunch and began testing. Since we were so cold we decided to bring our fixed samples back to the classroom and test in our 68 degree room where we could do our best work. =)
While examining and comparing our fall data and our new winter data, we noticed poor levels of nitrates. We brainstormed reasons for this. Our dissolved oxygen level went from poor in the fall to optimal in the winter. We discussed how cooler water has the potential of holding more dissolved oxygen. In the fall, water temp was 50 F, in the winter it was 36 F. Several of our students were able to take information and knowledge to Student Congress at Centralia College and share the State of our River, The Chehalis, with several other students. They also had opportunity to attend a couple workshops on everything from Trees to Amphibians to Pollinators.
Our Published book, Invasive Plants of the Pacific Northwest turned out beautiful. My students loved researching and learning about their plant. Their families loved seeing their published work as well.
Our next venture to the great outdoors is Invasive Species removal at Schafer State Park. My kids really love helping out their planet and making a difference in their backyard.
One of my students said, “It was a huge honor to go to Student Congress in Centralia, Water Testing in Elma and to be able to be a published author this year. At Student Congress we got to share out our water quality levels with different students from other schools. At water testing we got to test our stream in different groups. We tested for dissolved oxygen, turbidity, Ph and a few more. For our published book we got to study a bunch of different invasive species of the Pacific Northwest. I enjoyed researching my species, St. John’s Wort and putting in all the finishing touches.”
Another student says, ‘I loved going to congress and sharing our water data with other students. I enjoyed learning about bees and wolves in my classes. I loved learning about all the different species in our published book. It was such a great learning experience!