Teachers are always looking for educational opportunities for students when it comes to broadening their knowledge. Recently, Mrs. Muniz conducted a field trip with her Marine Biology class to the Meadowlands Environmental Center for a workshop entitled Urban Estuary Ecology. Mr. DiDomenico’s AP Biology class accompanied them on the trip. Students were strongly encouraged to take advantage of this, as these trips are a part of the regular school program.

On the excursion, students were outside in the marshes and took samples of the water there. They measured characteristics of the water, like visibility, temperature, pH level, salinity, and oxygen content. Afterward, students conducted a survey of how organisms behave in the area. They observed different bird species, and they used fishing nets to have a look at the organisms in the water. They discovered species like shrimp and crab as well as different insect larvae.

Once the students returned to the classroom, they created a food web of the species that they found and discovered the food chain amongst them. Additionally, they got to look at the stomach contents of some of the species. Through this, students got a better look on how everything is related when it comes to the ecosystem.

When asked if she wants to expand this experience, Mrs. Muniz stated: “Yes, I like this trip; I enjoy it.” She likes the hands-on activities that students get from this, especially to see what’s around in the environment. Trips like this will continue in the future, and the school is always looking forward to expanding students’ knowledge through experiences like this. The Becton community regularly organizes these types of activities, and they will continue in the future.