Canoeing at the Monocacy River

On April 8, the Environmental Science class went on an all day canoe trip on the Monocacy River near Buckeystown. The day started out with paddling instructions and map reading. They stopped for lunch at noon, did a macro-invertebrate survey of a small tributary, canoed to the point where the Monocacy meets the Potomac River, and played environmental games. It was a day filled with fun learning experiences. The field trip was conducted by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and partially funded by Chesapeake Bay Trust.

Forensic Science Labs

Forensic Science students did labs on forensic anthropology, where they examined a set of adult bones (skull, pelvis, femur, and humerus), performed calculations on measurements, and determined the sex, age, height, and race of the skeleton. They also did the same analysis on juvenile bones. Students also did a lab on blood spatter analysis. They made conclusions on possible crime scenarios based on the sizes and patterns of blood spatter.

Field Trip to Phillip Merrill Environmental Center

The Environmental Science students visited the Chesapeake Bay Foundation Headquarters (Phillip Merrill Environmental Center) in Annapolis, MD. They center is known for being environmentally friendly and has won platinum awards for its unique design and for its being a "green" building. The trip was sponsored by the Chesapeake Bay Trust and Target Foundation. Students interviewed employees, toured the building, went on a scavenger hunt, and canoed on Black Walnut Creek. They also did biodiversity studies by seining at the creek.