What would you do if you could design your own fish? Tangier Smith Elementary 4th graders had a chance to do just that.
Tangier Smith Elementary students in Ms. Chanda Zadrazil’s STEM classes recently visited Osprey Park for an exciting hands-on learning experience. Students learned about the parts of a fish and designed their very own fish species, recorded data about the weather and seined for marine life at Forge River. Walt Meshenberg, with the Save the Great South Bay organization, and Alex Mercado, a fisheries specialist from Cornell Cooperative Extension accompanied the students.
Students collected marine life and recorded data that will be used by the New York State Department of Conservation to assess the health of the Forge River ecosystem as part of their “Day in the Life” program. Through this program, students experience the real-world impact of their field work while also learning more about their local ecosystems.
Suffolk County Legislator James Mazzarella applauded the William Floyd School District “for giving these students the opportunity to explore environmental science and learn the importance of protecting our local waterway.”
William Floyd High School science students have regularly participated in the “Day in the Life” program, most recently engaging in a data collection activity that focused on studying the biodiversity and water quality in local Long Island waterways. Nathaniel Woodhull Elementary School students have also participated in this program at the Forge River and Carmans River in addition to visiting the Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge for even more educational opportunities.
“Thank you to Walt and Alex for providing our students with such an amazing hands-on experience at Osprey Park!” said Ms. Zadrazil “They got to see the environment they play in every day through a new lens, a living ecosystem worth protecting and caring for.