Bennett’s
Millpond Academy Summer 2005
“HOWDY FOLKS! Yesterday, my group dug the well nearest the millpond and about 4 or 5 feet down we reached the water table. The temperature of the well water was 23.3 C as compared to the millpond temperature of 27.4 C. The DO of the well was .7 mg/L and the DO of the millpond was 6 mg/L. I believe that due to the millpond being exposed to the air it had a higher DO and the well not being exposed to the outside air caused the extremely low DO. The group that dug the high well, well they had to go about 7 feet down; real bright people I tell ya. Way to go guys; better you than me.” -- Millpond student
This was a very special group of new Millpond students and returning student experts. Eager to learn, excited to share and enthusiastic about everything! The task was formidable to keep them all interested and engaged in the science content and fieldwork for the week. The Bennett’s Millpond Summer Academy is a time that the students and mentoring teachers meet as an entire team. During the week, they experience new technologies, learn about selected Millpond topics, meet with the local ecology-minded citizens and enjoy learning about their teammates from other counties. The 2005 Academy started off with a model of investigative science, to set the stage for the process of “doing science”. The students used Vernier light, temperature and relative humidity sensors to make observations about a 2-meter square plot at the Millpond. The objectives of this activity focused on accurate record keeping, use of appropriate technologies for field investigations and strategies for sharing results of the model experiment.
The agenda for the week meshed outside experiences such as developing a collection technique for flying insects and visiting a local wetland plant nursery with content sessions and technology practice. And of course, our new students got their first opportunity to canoe out on the Millpond and use a differential GPS to determine position for data collection. Our invited guests for the week were so willing to share their knowledge and to offer assistance to the students in their upcoming year of research – it just doesn’t get any better than this! We already know it is going to be an outstanding year for the 2005-2006 Bennett’s Millpond teams.
