When sixth-graders from Chicago City Day School waded into the Chicago River this fall, work they'd been doing in the classroom came to crawling, wriggling life.
The sixth-graders dipped nets into the water of the North Branch of the river and, when they pulled the nets out, found scuds (small freshwater shrimp), crawfish, and other living creatures darting around. The students didn't hide their delight.
"I found a crawfish!!," one of them shouted, as classmates waded over to get a look.
That excitement and curiosity are examples of why City Day science classes head to the river each year.
"Taking our students outside to study in and near the Chicago River turns abstract science into something tangible," science teacher Thomas "Mac" McFeely said. "Being in the field fosters a deeper understanding of the concepts covered in the classroom."
City Day students in grades 4, 6, 7, and 8 work along the North Branch of the Chicago River each fall and spring, in partnership with the Friends of the Chicago River and the North Branch Restoration Project. The activities, which vary by grade, align closely with the school's science curriculum.
This fall, fourth-graders collected specimens of plants that live in the nearby Miami Woods prairie and then spread beneficial seeds to undergrown areas. As mentioned, sixth-graders used nets to collect invertebrates from the river and documented what they found. Seventh-graders measured the flow rate of the river, while eighth-graders collected samples of river water and analyzed them for nitrates, phosphates, and dissolved oxygen.
By doing this work, students develop a keen understanding of ecosystems and how different types of environments support and depend on one another. They also hone skills in collecting, interpreting, and presenting data. In the winter, City Day eighth-graders will present findings about the quality of the Chicago River at the annual Friends of the Chicago River Student Congress.
On a deeper level, the students develop a stronger sense of the relationship between human beings and the natural world — a sophisticated insight for elementary school students.
"Having students in the field collecting data is an important and, I feel, vital way to learn science," Mr. Mac said.
See below for more photos from this fall's Chicago River work.
- Interested in learning more about City Day and its service learning program? Attend an admissions event.
