Saint John High School Group 3

Today the third group of Grade 10 students arrived at the Huntsman to participate in similar activities as the two groups before them.  Each student had to chance to go on the boat to drag for plankton and discover other marine life as well as study plankton under the microscope.  In the afternoon the students classified the collected marine specimens by phylum and also looked at the feeding rate of barnacles when placed in different temperatures.

 

The students waited patiently for the scallop drag to be completed.

 

This is the basket that is used to collect specimens from the floor of the bay.

 

 

A student carefully handles a Brittle Star while identifying it's phylum.

 

 

 

Some of the specimens the students used for classification.  These belong to the phylum Porifera and Mollusca.

Saint John High School Group 2

Yesterday we were joined by another class of Grade 10 students from Saint John High School.  In the morning the students studied plankton in the lab and also went out on the boat to collect fresh plankton samples and also a varied sampling of marine life from the floor of the bay.  In the afternoon the students took a closer look at some of the animals collected and used a dichotomous key to identify each creatures' Phylum.  Using their keen skills of observation, they also wrote detailed descriptions of each animal they looked at.  The final activity for the day was the study of barnacle feeding rate and the effects of temperature on this.

 

Identifying and counting the animals brought up in the scallop drag.

 

Classifying creatures requires attention to detail.

 

 

Placing the barnacles in the water bath of 5 degrees Celsius.

 

 

 

These students are beginning the process of warming the water bath up to the next temperature.

 

A few Saint John High boys who are very intent on their experiment.

Saint John High Group 1

     Today we were joined by a group of Grade 10 students from Saint John High School.  These students are part of a program called the International Baccalaureate program that allows them to complete university credits while in high school. 
     When the students arrived this morning they were divided into two groups. One group went to the lab to study plankton and the other went out on the Fundy Spray in order to collect plankton and other benthic (lives on the bottom) specimens. After each group had a turn in the lab and on the boat, it was time to study and classify some of the specimens retained from the scallop drag. The students classified creatures by phylum, and also looked at the genus and species of each animal. The final activity of the day was to test the feeding rate of common rock barnacles in different temperatures. Tomorrow we will be joined by a new group of students, also from Saint John High School.

 

Two students using a salinometer to measure the salinity (salt content) and temperature of the water.

 

Using the salinometer again in a different area to gauge the salt content and temperature of the water.

 

Students taking in the scenery around the bay.

 

Classifying the Brittle Star: phylum - Echinodermata

 

Watching the barnacles closely for signs of feeding.

  

Earl of March and West Carleton High Schools....

After a busy day yesterday learning about the intertidal zone and the animals that call it their home, the students were off to Grand Manan today.  There they will go out on the water to look for whales and stay over night.  This evening they will be given a better understanding of whales during a presentation and tomorrow will be checking out the island's industries, such as dulse and lobster fishing.

 

 

 

Some of the students were up close and personal with 'Twitch' the lobster, at yesterday's lobster presentation.

 

One of the teachers even participated in the fun.

Earl of March and West Carleton High Schools

Yesterday students from Earl of March and West Carleton High School joined us at the Huntsman. They spent the day taking turns going out on the boat, touring the Discovery Centre and looking at plankton in the lab.
Today the students began their morning out on Indian Point to gather specimens from the intertidal zone.  Then it was back to the lab to classify invertebrates using a dichotomous key to find the phylum they belong to.  This afternoon they will return to the lab for a closer look at echinoderms as well as getting a more in depth grasp on the lobster.

 

Checking under every rock for specimens.

 

A large green crab found by one of the groups.

 

Look at what we found!

 

All geared up for the wet beach.

 

Quite a long walk back to the bus.

 

Beautiful sunny morning for the beach.

 

 

 Working in the lab to classify animals.