An important part of learning is being able to share information with others. Donna Kill of Cardington-Lincoln Local Schools received a Feed the World mini-grant that provided an environmental science outreach to the community.
With the grant money, Kill purchased stream ecology kits, magnifying lenses, and macro-invertebrate cards. The Junior High Science Club used these materials to conduct stream studies in Morrow County. During the Cardington-Lincoln Pirate Spectacular, a family and community open house, science club members presented information about their studies. They identified the creatures living in their local streams, demonstrated pH testing, viewed prepared slides with both microscopes and digitized scopes, utilized water quality sensors with iPads and displayed photos from their water studies.
The science club members enjoyed sharing their knowledge with the younger students and family members that came by during the event and look forward to their next trip to the stream.
Kill plans to use the kits again with next year’s 7th graders during a water ecology unit. She said, “As a class, we cannot take a field trip to the stream, but this is our way to bring the stream and the macro-invertebrates to the students!”