Fitzgerald Marine Reserve

Hello again! Today I will be doing a short blog post on my experience on the field trip my bio class and I went on to the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve!

Picture courtesy of Mrs. Girard

The Fitzgerald Marine Reserve in Moss Beach, California is a protected area that researchers, and the general public, are allowed to visit and walk around in to view the wildlife. As this was a service learning trip, my class collected data of certain areas of the reserve on what species of organisms are present in the tide pools and how many of each species (approximately) there are. This was done by taking grids to different points on the meter line (the white string) and counting the different organisms within that gridded area. This set up can be seen below.

Picture from Mrs. Girard

By participating in this field trip, I learned various things about the organisms and wild life in the reserve. First, that there are different tidal zones (low, medium and high) and, from high to low, there is increasing diversity in the organisms present. High zones have less organisms, while low zones have a wider variety of organisms, like starfish and other crustaceans. We also observed that many jellyfish like creatures were washed up on the beach. These creatures, Velella vellela wash up on beaches in large amounts during this time of year, due to currents. Finally, I learned that sea urchins stop functioning properly if taken out of the water for a long period of time, due to their hydrostatic skeleton.

Photo by Mrs. Girard

This information that we learned has also related to what we have learned this year in biology. In class, we have learned about all of the different classifications of the various organisms we saw and it was interesting to see how each organism differs in real life as opposed to a picture. We learned about similarities and differences that make each organism unique to their classification. We also learn that the environment plays a role in species survival and adaptations, and this can be seen in certain organisms that live in the high tidal zone. They have adapted to accommodate living without water for various hours each day, thus, adapting and changing to their conditions rather than dying off. As you can read, this field trip has many positive aspects, including learning more about new topics and expanding on old ones.

Photo by Mrs. Girard

Reflecting, it was a really enjoyable field that I will personally remember seeing a crab, almost falling into the water and hitting my head against Nicole’s head accidentally. I will also remember the service learning part of the field trip. It is nice knowing the things I did are going to help scientists learn more about that particular environment and it impacted me positively, but I wouldn’t say it completely changed my experience. The only thing I would change is more free time for exploring. I found that I enjoyed myself the most walking around and pointing out interesting organisms with my classmates. If you have not visited a marine reserve, such as Fitzgerald, I would highly recommend going as it is fun and you learn a lot.

 

I thought this field trip to the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve was very fun, engaging, but also informative. I was able to see live marine organism up close, while also helping collect data, which is what science is all about. I definitely think this field trip should be done for future classes.

 

Thanks for reading my reflection on our field trip to the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve and make sure to check out my other blog posts!

 

My Opinion on Do Now: Project-Based Learning

Hello again! Today I will be sharing my opinion on the KQED Do Now regarding Project-Based Learning.

 

Project-based learning is the idea that students research and discover the topics themselves. Students make conclusions on a topic on their own and there is an emphasis on teamwork and becoming more skilled in practical techniques such as research and problem solving. Lectures and traditional schooling techniques are kept to a minimum and the classes are a lot more hands on. Some schools have implemented this project-based strategy of teaching, but the majority of schools still use traditional note and lecture classes.

Picture found here: goo.gl/R4fl4M

 

Here’s a video that discusses project-based learning and the keys to its success:

 

I believe that project-based learning can really benefit students if done correctly. It provides opportunities for students to learn about the topic in their own way, discover the information in a unique way and look at real applications to topics that are normally simply talked about in textbooks. Information would be more memorable and the process of discovering the answer is emphasized. The process becomes another part that students learn, as well as the information for the class.

Picture found here: http://goo.gl/CeNfUx

I am in a class, AP Biology, that has taken on this approach of project-based learning. It is not completely project-based, however, we have done projects and researched topics on our own to help our understanding of the material. For example, I have a post, here, that was conducted individually as a research project to help us understand photosynthesis. The class is focused on labs and group work, rather than lectures and notes, and I think for that class it works with moderation. There should be a mix of project-based learning and lectures, as the material is complex.

Picture of a chromatography lab done in biology that we did to learn about the different pigments in plant leaves

There are many upsides to project-based learning in that the topics covered are gone further in depth, the work done is applicable to real life and communication and teamwork are key. However, I am concerned that it may not cover enough information, due to the fact states still give out standardized tests. Even though project-based learning is effective, in my experience, it takes longer to fully understand the topic, and this could hinder students who want to take AP tests or are required to take standardized tests. Because of this, I emphasize my point that project-based learning should be used in moderation and traditional methods should still be implemented so students can get a basis for the projects and get a feel for the information before they apply it.

Picture found here: http://goo.gl/SGZs5R

I think that my high school should implement project-based learning because of the many benefits and the lack of standardized testing that public schools often require. If project-based learning is approached and done correctly and with the students’ best interests in mind, I think it could be beneficial at my school and at many other schools that have the resources to make it work.

 

 

Here are some websites that have more information on project-based learning if you would like some more information about the movement:

1. Project Based Learning: BIE
2. New Tech Network
3. US News Article on PBL

Comment with your opinion on project-based learning and thank you for reading!