Wednesdays in the Workplace
6th Grade
6th Grade students focus their EIC investigations on energy. Areas of learning including everything from kinetic and potential energy to energy transfers through trophic levels in a biome. PPL, our local energy provider, has transmission lines running through the new Black River Sanctuary, a land preserve owned by the Wildlands Conservancy. Students are working to collect baseline biodiversity data by utilizing Autonomous Recording Units (ARUs). This data is used by the Wildlands to show that, over time, sustainable practices and native vegetation placement can increase biodiversity of species on the property while ensuring safety guidelines are met for vegetation levels below powerlines.
Student completed tasks:
- Meet with Wildlands Conservancy employees to learn about the history of Black River Sanctuary.
- Hike the property to take note of ARU deployment sites and native and invasive species that are found on the property.
- Collect ARU data and analyze the avian calls to identify species found on the property.
- Compute biodiversity levels based on identified avian species.
7th Grade
7th Grade students spend their year in science answering the question, “How can human decision making create positive impactful change on the existence of natural systems?”. By taking the life science lens, students investigate human impact on natural systems through history, with a specific focus on agricultural practices and its impacts on differing environments. The Monocacy Farm Project seeks to use land and resources to model stewardship and care for the Earth, foster community involvement, provide educational opportunities, and serve the needs of the poor. Students work on the farm throughout the school year learning sustainable agriculture practices in both harvesting, planting, and maintaining food for the local community.
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Student completed tasks:
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8th Grade
Through a unique partnership with Flint Hill Farm, our eighth-grade students extend their science learning beyond the classroom by exploring real-world connections between human decision-making and natural systems. As they study biology, green chemistry, and environmental science, students apply these concepts directly on the farm by examining the health of soils and pastures, observing livestock care and nutrition, and investigating how farmers balance ecological stewardship with economic realities. Working alongside farm experts, students explore how the well-being of animals is tied to the health of the land and local ecosystems. This hands-on experience deepens their understanding of how communities, businesses, and individuals make complex decisions about natural resources, while inspiring them to think critically about their own role in supporting a sustainable and compassionate future.
Student completed tasks:
- Meet with the Flint Hill Farm employees to learn about animal health and care.
- Assist in training animals on the farm to be used for educational programming.
- Collect stool samples and conduct research to determine parasite existence within the samples.
- Complete Spring farm beautification programs including weeding and planting flowers.
- Actively complete daily farm chores.
