My best teaching day ever - Science students from all my classes worked closely with Teton Science School during a field day at Elk Mountain Ranch. The purpose of the field research is to gain an understanding of water quality issues and identify the source of HEM drinking water. The students were divided into several teams to explore Rattlesnake Creek and learned how to conduct individual water quality tests. These tests included turbidity, flow rates, phosphate and oxygen content, and pH.
It was great to see students in the field, learning techniques for evaluation, and connecting water issues with real-world and place based principles. Rattlesnake creek is on a working cattle ranch and is the source of Hanna, Wyoming drinking water. It also serves agricultural use and natural habitat for dozens of Wyoming mammals, fish, amphibians, birds and insects. Students connected water quality importance with human and environmental concerns.
Following the field experience, students returned to the school and in teams put together a presentation of their findings and how their tests could assist in determining appropriate water quality. These presentations were shared with the entire school.
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