Stream Studies The Barnesville Way!

Mrs. Melissa Ash, Science Teacher, and 7th grade students traveled to Masonville Cove to complete a Stream Study in preparation for their Trout in the Classroom project. Located in South Baltimore, Masonville Cove is the nation's first Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership, home to a green building nature center. While researching the water quality of Masonville Cove’s stream, students learned about the Patapsco River’s Health by conducting abiotic water quality tests such as Dissolved Oxygen, pH, Salinity, and Turbidity. They investigated the stream’s macro-invertebrates by completing a biotic index and discovered how much these little critters can tell us about the health of our local waterways. Students will also have the chance to compare this urban stream to a local stream adjacent to campus, located on the Agricultural Reserve as part of their Trout in the Classroom. This is a unique and memorable STEM classroom experience that allows our students to raise rainbow trout from eggs to fingerlings over a 6-month period. Students are excitement as the aquarium is set and the eyed-eggs of trout are arriving from the state hatcheries next week. From there, students will witness the salmonid lifecycle, discuss how to maintain a healthy ecosystem while learning about the nitrogen cycle and water chemistry, and how to care for the trout prior to releasing them in the spring.