We had the pleasure of working with 100 students from Sacramento’s Barrett Middle School, and bringing them to Donner Summit for a field research day. These students began with an in-class reading and research designing day, where they came up with some creative research projects and questions like:
-How many birds live in a forested area compared to next to water?
-Are there more insects near the water or near the trees/forest area?
-How does moisture affect the size and diversity of plants?
-How does the temperature of water effect the amount of organisms in it?
-How does water quality affect the number of macro-invertebrates in an area?
-How does the temperature of the water affect the population of the fish?
On Donner Summit, students had access to both a forested area and a large meadow as well as a stream within their field site. They split into groups based on their study topic, with different groups studying fish, water quality, soil, or insects. They were able to explore a variety of diverse environments, collect and analyze data, and later form it into a research presentation.
To finalize their research, students presented their findings to one another in class, solidifying what they’d learned during the trip.
A special thank you goes out to teacher Lori Sindel-Wawro for working so hard to find funding for this program! This program was funded through the McCarthy Dressman Grant.