Life Lessons from our Estuary Neighbor 

GDS’s 7th-grade study of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem is a prime example of place-based learning: students use our local environment as a foundation for study, with hands-on experiences that can be applied across scientific fields. Through a combination of fieldwork, classroom study, and research, students gain essential skills for conservation and connecting with our natural world. October’s visit to Sandy Hill Camp Retreat Center provided the fieldwork component, as students studied coastal erosion and tested five water quality indicators in a tributary within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. 

In November, students moved on to the research component, in which they were assigned an organism that lives in the watershed to research more thoroughly, focusing on the organism's role and relationship in the ecosystem, limiting factors it is facing, and what solutions, if any, there are to protect the organism. Their final project infographic posters are on display in the 4th floor hallway.  

“The infographics are something we decided to do this year because some of the models we have been learning about for energy flow in an ecosystem, like the trophic pyramid or food webs, are best presented in a visual format,” said Middle School Science Teacher Vi Deane-Polyak. “Also we hoped it would give students a creative and fun way to showcase their research and share their findings with the community.”

“I really enjoyed the graphic design aspect,” said Ellie Koukios ’30 who focused on the bay anchovy for her research. Ellie explained that the anchovies she researched are not the kind of anchovies you put on pizza, but that they look just like them–-small, silver fish found in abundance in the bay. Her most startling find is that bay anchovies produce more than 50% of the energy in the bay throughout all seasons, serving as an important food source for a diverse set of predators.

For the infographics, the students used the online design platform called Canva. Though it offers templates as one of their design tools, Ellie said she created hers from scratch without a template, and that she really enjoyed choosing different fonts, colors, and graphics while designing.

Zora Lawson ’30, who focused her study on the Atlantic ribbed mussel said that the most interesting thing she learned about the organism is that it has a mutualistic symbiotic relationship with cordgrass, and that she too enjoyed creating the infographic—particularly choosing a template then putting her own spin on it.

Will Johnston ’30 researched the great egret, and said he enjoyed searching for sources and finding interesting symbiotic relationships. He also found that during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the great egret’s population in North America was reduced by over 95% due to widespread hunting for their plumes, which were considered fashionable and generally worn on hats. “My absolute favorite part of the infographic part of the project however, is the immense amount of freedom Vi gave us in terms of writing content and design. I really like how we mostly could just explain our animal any way we wanted,” he said. 

“The project draws heavily on the understanding students build throughout the whole ecology unit,” said Vi, who stressed that throughout the trimester, the students learned about abiotic and biotic factors, the levels of ecological organization, population dynamics, limiting factors, and interspecies interactions including competition, predation, and symbiotic relationships. 

Middle School Science Teacher and Department Chair, Jon Vanegas explained the far-reaching purpose of the project has always been about environmental awareness and conservation, but it also incorporates several more key elements including scientific inquiry and investigation, thinking and problem-solving, communication skills and teamwork, along with personal and social development. 

“Overall, the project aims to create a comprehensive learning experience that not only teaches students about science but also helps them develop a range of skills and attitudes beneficial both academically and personally,” said Jon.

Enjoy the Photo Gallery of infographics >>