Hampton City School teachers took turns holding the fish and little crabs caught in the net they helped pull up from the James and Hampton rivers. They even pulled up some dead man’s fingers — a type of fungus often found in the river.
These teachers will be soon able to share this experience with their students.
The school division, along with the James River Association and the National Park Service, is getting ready for a second year of bringing fifth-grade students to the water, where they will learn about the watershed, the environment and the animals that live there.
Janice Richison, the division’s science curriculum leader, said the experience helps in “brining the lab out here, versus having it in the classroom,” which helps the students learn.
“That’s the thing that is really rewarding to any educator,” Richison said. “You actually see this light bulb that’s connected to what goes on in the classroom, and then it makes it more meaningful when they take their assessments.”
Before the kids get out there, the teachers need to know what to expect, and that was where the James River Association came in. It guided the teachers through the same activities, such as testing water salinity, that the students will go through.
On land, teachers learned about oysters and their importance in the region, toured Fort Monroe and experienced an enviroscape watershed model, which shows how things that happen upstream from the Chesapeake Bay can affect the watershed.
Teachers also got the opportunity to trawl while on the boat, which is dragging a net through the water to fish. This put them face to face with different kinds of fish and other marine life that live in the river.
Over the year, all fifth-grade students in Hampton schools will participate in virtual lessons, field trips to the rivers and stewardship action projects. The goal is to provide Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences, which are learner-centered opportunities that promote student engagement when learning about environmental issues.
“Being able to come on a boat and see different sea life and to be able to do the tests — they love it,” said Shayla Shipley, a fifth-grade teacher at Hunter B. Andrews PreK-8 School. “They have an absolute blast.”
The National Parks Foundation awarded the schools, river association and park service a two-year grant of more than $64,000 to help the children learn about the watershed and its importance to the region. Some teachers experienced the hands-on activities last year and are excited to again see the students enjoy the learning opportunity.
Richison said her goal is to see more Hampton students be able to take advantage of hands-on learning experiences like what the fifth graders were able to get through this grant.
Kelsey Kendall, kelsey.kendall@virginiamedia.com
