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Each group of students visited CURB to participate in "Catch of the Day," seining as well as water quality monitoring. During seining, participants waded into the Hudson to catch various species of fish, crabs and shrimp using a seine net. Once on shore, they kept a tally of the species caught.
The students also collected and analyzed water samples for parameters including salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH and turbidity. They learned how to use both test kits and probes to collect their data.
Each group left with a copy of the class data sheet to bring back to school for further research, class comparisons and project-based learning with the teachers.
The cumulative data from all groups was entered into a Excel spreadsheet.
During each session, YPS educational technologist Nasser Ibrahim integrated technology via a drone, GoPro and iPads to document the class experience along the Hudson River.
In addition to their work at CURB, the students also had sessions with Sarah Lawrence faculty members Linwood Lewis and Marek Fuchs that focused on Yonkers social and environmental justice, and writing with purpose. Each group also had a Sarah Lawrence visit and tour to experience life as a college student.
As a wrap-up to this program, science faculty and CURB staff formed an interactive “Ask a Scientist” panel. The students were responsible to use their class time at school to collect further research on a specific Hudson River species and draw their own conclusions from the data obtained during the month.
The projects created were displayed at the STEM -- or science, technology, engineering and math -- symposium on the last day of the program, July 30.
For more information on the program, as well as data and videos, visit http://www.ypschools.org/.
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