Pond Life Field Day at Indian Creek Nature Center
On Thursday June 18th, more than 80 third graders from Norwood-Norfolk had the chance to learn about nature in many different ways at the Indian Creek Nature Center. The help of many environmental educators, each with their own station, made this field day possible. Students cycled through four stations, with themes including a forest hike, birdwatching lesson, and rocks and minerals.
Nature Up North's station focused on how to catch and identify the many critters than live in and around a pond. For the first part of the activity, the groups of students had the chance to take a closer look at what was living within the ponds. Working as a team with their assigned partners, each group of students would have one partner skim the pond floor with their net, while the other sorted through muck and algae to look for moving critters. Their catch included tadpoles, damselflies, water beetles, leeches, and even a few small catfish! This muddy and slimy task did not stop any of the kids from wanting to learn more about how many different creatures can live in one small pond.
For the second part of the activity, students were able to observe life around the pond by catching and releasing dragonflies and damselflies that originally hatched from the pond water. This helped students realize how important a pond can be for life all around it.
Below are some photos from the pond life activities during the day. Special thanks to Indian Creek Nature Center and all other contributors who helped make this day possible.
Taking a look through the magnifier at a macroinvertebrate (Photo 1).
Two students checking out what they had scooped up from the muck (Photo 2).
Students sort through aquatic plants and mud to find movement (Photo 3).
A bullfrog tadpole that was caught near the pond shore (Photo 4).
Dragonflies caught by students and temporarily stored in containers for close observation (Photo 5).
Students sifting the air with their dragonfly and damselfly nets (Photo 6).
A student glances up in curiosity to look for dragonflies (Photo 7).
Justin loves exploring the outdoors in a multitude of ways and he feels most connected through photography, hiking, fishing, running and cycling. He hopes to translate his passion for nature and conservation onto others while working as an intern for Nature Up North.