Danville Area High School Gets Hands On

Monday morning Danville Area High School accompanied Educator Kirstie and Captain Jimmy aboard the Flatfish Research Vessel to test water quality and collect a variety of marine organisms using an otter trawl. Students learned about the chemistry of water, utilizing instruments including a forel ule, secchi disk, van dorn, and current cross.

As the tide came in during the afternoon, students paid a visit to the intertidal zone.  The class learned about tide trends and forces and intertidal adaptations along the shoreline. They also used the sieve boxes to collect benthic organisms such as marine worms, small crabs, and other small invertebrates.  

To view more photos from Danville Middle School's Trip, visit our Flickr!

On the left, Casey Donahoe, a Danville High School Junior, makes observations about sand from the bottom of the creek collected using a benthic grab. "The best part of the trip is being able to experience and learn about these different ecosystems and organisms in a hands on environment," said Casey when asked about her favorite part of her 4-day experience at CBFS. ​