NHS Ecology Students Collect Data For DEP

By Tanjua Damon

A Newtown High School ecology class has been spending time this year collecting data from the Pootatuck River to help the Department of Environmental Protection’s program to obtain information on how clean the lakes, streams, and rivers are across the state.

The DEP offers a program for students to help with the endeavor. Newtown High School science teacher Michael Marella thought the program was a perfect project for the ecology class: collecting data and writing a real scientific report for a state agency. A parent brought the program to his attention.

“It’s a really great program. In ecology, we’re looking at the interactions that take place in the environment,” Mr Marella said. “It totally fit with what we are trying to teach students that organisms interact with their environment.”

Mr Marella likes the fact the students also gain experience in submitting a report that has guidelines set by the DEP and that will be submitted to Congress showing the results of the data collected in accordance with the 1974 Clean Water Act.

“I think that one thing it does is it really gives you the missing piece of how do we know what we know,” he said. “Not only do they get to hear about it, they get to do it.”

DEP scientist Chris Sullivan worked with the students early on in the year showing them what needed to be done.

“He worked with us out in the field,” Mr Marella said. “It was really neat we got that.”

The students spent time at the river in October and May collecting samples and data trying to figure out how clean the area of the Pootatuck River is along Mile Hill Road and Overview near the high school.

“I liked it. It was different than what we normally do,” Kevin Whipkey. “We’re still learning, but it’s more hands-on.”

The students worked in five groups collecting chemical data, physical data, and invertebrate data as well as the width of the river, and how fast it flows.

“Personally I don’t really like bugs, but it was nice to go outside,” Julie Nietsch said. “It actually makes you feel like you are doing something. The chemical testing was interesting because I have never gone through the process.”

The students were interested in the techniques that were used to collect the data. For example, to see the speed of the river’s flow, the students took two tennis balls and dropped them in different locations and then measured the length of time to see how long it took the stream to carry the balls to the other end.

“I liked going outside instead of staying in the classroom. I think it’s a really good way to learn, even though it may not be 100 percent correct,” Meghan O’Day said. “It’s a good way to learn how to care for and protect the environment.”

The students felt that they were able to learn from the project things they otherwise may not have because of the limitations of the classroom.

“It teaches people the importance of the river in an ecosystem,” Zack Zimmer said. “Not only were we learning as a class but also we were helping the state portray the health of the Pootatuck for Congress. I thought it was going to be pretty dirty, but it’s clean.”