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! 

Mrs. Erica Fredrickson writes:

In 2017, my students wrote a book to be published in 2018.  The book is called Invasive Species of the Pacific Northwest. Each student chose an invasive plant of the PNW to research. They did a write up on it and an illustration.  We are eagerly waiting to see the published book.  Most of my students ordered one to keep. Stay tuned to see the published copy!

In October, we went water quality testing at Vance Creek in Elma.  Students tested for temperature, PH, turbidity, nitrates and dissolved oxygen.  Unfortunately our nitrates and dissolved oxygen levels came out as poor.  We had great discussions on why this may be and how nitrates and dissolved oxygen levels can be directly related.  We are hoping our results are all optimal or acceptable when we test in winter this February.

In November, we went to the Discovery Trail in Chehalis and prepared our site for tree planting  by stomping Reed Canary Grass.  This is one of the invasives my students researched. We also went on a wonderful plant identification walk through 2 types of forests so our kids could see the differences.

In January, we went back to Discovery Trail and planted Cottonwood Canes and Maple Canes along with Red Osier Dogwood to help stabilize and prevent erosion on the bank of the Chehalis River.  We also toured the Wastewater Treatment Plant. This was a wonderful opportunity to see and learn how our water is treated so it can be returned to the Chehalis River without polluting.  Students were able to see how many of the same tests they ran at Water Testing are also tests that are ran at the treatment plant and why they are important to our waters.  They were able to see how the level of microorganisms in water affects the level of dissolved oxygen.