In September, High School science students enjoyed the opportunity to embrace nature. From September 5-8, students in AP Environmental Science headed west, to Lake Sai in Yamanashi. Marine Studies students went south and engaged in hands-on research at three beaches from September 27-29.
AP Environmental Science Field Trip
Setting out early on a Saturday morning, twenty-two AP Environmental Science students and three teachers spent four beautiful days investigating Lake Sai and the Mt Fuji environment. Lake Sai offers a unique freshwater ecosystem to explore, from changing abiotic qualities over an environmental gradient of depth, to changes over 48 hours. AP Environmental Science students will use the information they gathered to establish the Lake Sai baseline data set for future classes to analyze change over time. Additional investigations of the forested region and mountain river system also offered a unique setting for these students to explore. Activities included a walk through an ice cave-lava tube, eco-farm tour with a BBQ dinner and bonfire.
Marine Studies Field Trip
With the theme of “appreciating the power of the ocean,” the Marine Studies students visited three beaches: Shirahama Beach, Atami Beach and Yumigahama Beach. At each beach, they investigated the impact of wave height and frequency on the grain size of sand and the change in biotic biodiversity along the length of a tide pool. The trip culminated in a “feeling the power of ocean waves” activity on top of a surfboard. (Greg Spechalske, HS Science)