PHOTOGRAPHED BY JESSICA WEAVER
BY JESSICA WEAVER
Last Friday, December 30th, students from AP Environmental Science, Marine Science and Biology classes took a field trip to John U. Lloyd Beach State Park where they played the role of biologists for the day.
Students studied different plants throughout the park and learned all about the native as well as non-native species that exist near Florida’s coast. They were also given a lesson on how to detect poisonous plants.
After the group was finished studying plants, they moved on to examine the beach. Students took note of the wind currents, the waves, and the movement of the tides. They were able to track the direction and power of the oceans currents by conducting an experiment with colored ice blocks. After, students got more hands on, by sampling the seawater and testing it for salinity, pH levels, and dissolved oxygen.
After the experimentation, the students took a short lunch break while the results were shared. The group then headed back out to the ocean to find mole crabs and snow crabs in the shore’s sand.
The trip gave students a day of interesting research and hands-on learning, while some even found a new interest in marine biology. Overall, everyone enjoyed the trip and felt they gained some new knowledge.
“I had a great time on the field trip,” senior Alec Silverman said. “Mrs. Woodward did a fantastic job organizing the trip and making sure we all learned about science while also having fun.”
