Nature Study to help save the Hellbender Salamander
The Columbiana County ESC secured a grant through the Ohio EPA to introduce STEM projects into the schools. Southern Local’s juniors and fifth-graders and Crestview are participating in a problem-based learning activity with the county Soil and Water Conservation District, SilverApple Inc. and the county Education Service Center.
Students will be doing activities that consider the impact of healthy water on the amphibian, which is an endangered species native to Northeast Ohio. Students will take a field trip to the Beaver Creek State Park to record data and later present their findings on the importance of healthy water as well as potential challenges and solutions.
Students will present their findings at a year-end celebration of learning on May 18.
Beaver Creek State Park
One of the projects students completed was mapping the water flow of the school’s ground. After mapping the school grounds and hypothetically determining the direction the water would flow, students tested their theories in the rain. They determined what was happening to the area from the speed of the water flow.
Lavayiah Crooms and Emma Jones taking the temperature of the pond.
James Burris, Adalyn Reeves, Caden Dougherty, Emerson Gotschall across the pond running the tests.
Lavayiah Crooms and Emma Jones taking the temperature of the pond near the foot bridge.
Delaney Beadnell, Alexa Paczesny, David Prendergast, Brandon Leek, Adelaide Patterson, and Aubrey Potts taking the ponds temperature.
Gracie Lee, Dulaney Beadnell, Adelaide Patterson, and Airianna Adams collaborating.
Brandon Leek and David Prendergast taking the temperature of the pond
Bobby Westover, Braxton Sloan, Alexandra McElroy and Rhiannon Holliday work on studying the pond's water quality.
Jack Pelley, Christian Pearson, Liam Marshall, Landen Mettenberger, and Mrs. Brenda McCulley study one of the ponds at Beaver Creek State Park
Christian Pearson, Liam Marshall, Landen Mettenberger, Jack Pelley, and Mrs. Brenda McCulley record their findings
Dylan Birheimer, Daniel Barker, Micah Adams, and Aiden Davis
Emma Johnson and Jonah Beadle testing sample.
Madeline Garner, Rya Reynolds and Shiloh Heines at the Beaver Creek
Ava Phillips, Bryce Spooner, Jada Gottschling, Jeffrey Fluharty testing another section of the Beaver Creek.
Mason Sosack, Jaiden Palmer and Bryce Foster conducting test on the Beaver Creek
