Hopkinton Middle High School seventh-grade Integrated Science class is participating in a freshwater ecosystem study with the support of N.H. Wildlife Fish and Game, teachers and parent volunteers.
Students act as citizen scientists as they investigate a freshwater ecosystem (Kimball Lake) as well as apply it to the ArcGIS program in their geography class.
Content focuses on the overall health of the ecosystem which integrates the chemistry of the water quality, biodiversity, human impact, and more. Students collect, identify, and bring back small organisms to a model version of the ecosystem. A 55-gallon warm water tank houses organisms through the fall, winter and spring at which point they will be released in the location that they were found in.
Throughout the remainder of the year, students monitor water quality and animal behavior including schooling, predator-prey territorial competition, etc. Students gain experience in the effective conservation and management of wildlife and habitat as well as inspiring curiosity to learn and explore the world around them.