Wetlands Field Day 2023

Our third graders have been studying the importance of the wetlands on the Crocker Conservancy. Students put on their muck clothes and waded into the wetlands to discover which plants and insects were thriving in our calcareous muck fen.
Throughout this unit of study, we have explored the wetlands both as a filter for the stream and as a habitat for plants and animals. After reading about freshwater habitats, studying our watershed model, playing a game of tag to mimic chemical runoff, and listening for signs of life from the boardwalk, students felt ready for our wetlands field day, an event planned as the culmination of the unit. It was time to wade out into the muck for a much-anticipated closer look at the habitat.
Brent Barriteau from the USDA returned as our soil and wetland plant expert, joined by Allyson Thomas, an Education and Program Support Specialist working with the Lord Fairfax Soil and Water Conservation District. Maili Page also joined us from USDA this year. We learned from them about distinct wetland soils, water-loving plants, and the presence of pollution-sensitive aquatic invertebrates as a measure of water quality.
Authentic Learning in the Wetlands
Our young scientists rotated between different stations on the Crocker Conservancy.
In the wetland itself, students used their senses to explore as Mr. Barriteau explained the colors and textures of the mud pulled up by a soil sampler. As we held the soil in our hands, students were fascinated to hear that a handful of healthy soil contains more organisms than there are humans on the earth.
Mrs. Slavin splashed into Roseville Run with a group, searching under rocks and sifting with nets to find evidence of life in the stream.