Living Classrooms

Academic Programs –> Living Classrooms Foundation Boat Trip –> Ms. Harrod's class, Truesdell E.S.

Living Classrooms Boat Trip

This program introduces students to an aquatic food web. The highlight is a boat trip on the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers conducted by Living Classrooms. During this trip students catch and identify fish, dissect clams, and use a microscope to examine plankton - all while enjoying stunning views of their city! Students prepare for the trip with classroom activities that teach them to distinguish carnivores from herbivores, describe the characteristics and role of plankton, and explore the interconnected nature of an aquatic food web. While on the boat, students also learned about buoyancy by building small boats.

After fishing with a trawl net, students examine and identify their catch. (top left)

See anything? With help from a Living Classrooms educator, students look for plankton in a fresh water sample. (top right)

"Ready on the float!" A student prepares to toss in the float for the trawl net. (right)

Students dissect clams and identify their parts. (below left)

"Are we there yet?" Using a compass and map, a student tries to pinpoint his location on the river. (below right)