Rubber boots, small nets, thermometers, pH test strips, plastic bins and stopwatches—the equipment list for BJA fifth-graders headed to Mountain Creek trail at Paris Mountain State Park. The fifth-grade science curriculum takes students on an adventure through ecosystems, and that is exactly what they did. Teaming up with Ranger Cathy and the Paris Mountain State Park Discover Carolina education program, fifth-grade students studied the living organisms and their environments both in the water and in the forest. Wading through the creek, they found a wide variety of organisms making their home in the various parts of the creek. Then, using several microscopes, students were able to observe and classify their findings. Thermometers and pH strips helped students identify the safe environment in which the organisms thrive. A hike through the woods produced more exciting discoveries as students learned the incredible ecosystem present even in one square meter of forest. The Discover Carolina program offered BJA fifth-graders an incredible hands-on experience that perfectly complemented classroom instruction.
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