Course
Description: Aquatic Biology is offered to both juniors and
seniors at Pen Argyl High School. The course encourages a hands-on
learning experience and problem solving strategy to students studying and
helping to solve water quality problems. Students have adopted a section
of the Little Bushkill Creek which they monitor for any signs of pollution.
The goals of
the program are (1) to train students in physical, chemical, and biological
monitoring techniques; (2) to increase the students' knowledge and develop
environmental problem solving skills; (3) to encourage communication and
exchange of ideas among schools and the community; (4) to establish
a water quality network within the local watershed; (5) to provide a data
bank of water quality information where little or no information exists
for use by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
The site that
we are monitoring is south of the Grand Central Sanitation landfill
and is of particular interest to the PA DCNR. If there are any
signs of pollution, the data is given to the PA DCNR who will help
resolve the problem. My students are doing the community a service
by being the "watchdogs" of a local stream and guarding it against pollution.
