42 Fifth Graders Take a Closer Look at Nature
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- Education
Students started with a bit of tree identification with Dave Anderson, Senior Director of Education
Why do ticks bite? How do trees grow? How do rivers decide which way they want to flow? How do fish end up in different rivers? How did the Riverwalk come to be protected?
These are a few of the questions hatched in a brainstorm of 5th grade students during their recent visit to the Merrimack Riverwalk in Hooksett, New Hampshire. The answers to those questions are part of a class research project with the goal to create various stations connected to QR codes along the Riverwalk trail. These QR code stations will be available for the public to scan with their mobile phones and learn about various topics determined by the students.
Deirdre Brotherson, a 5th grade teacher at Hooksett Memorial School, invited the Forest Society to help introduce her class and Robin Githmark’s class to various aspects of the Riverwalk property along the Merrimack River. The Forest Society holds a conservation easement on the property which is located adjacent to the town dog park. Steve Couture, the chair of the Hooksett Conservation Commission, connected me and Ms. Brotherson which allowed us to go in front of the students and hear their ideas for their research projects and explain the value of conservation easements to them. I am the conservation easement steward for the property and was excited at the opportunity to teach a group of kids about the importance of the property as well as other conserved lands throughout New Hampshire.
We took the kids outside and played tree ID games with the assistance of Dave Anderson, Senior Director of Education at the Forest Society. The students learned how to determine the age of trees and identify common New Hampshire tree species using bark and leaf characteristics. We also explored the pond at the school and gathered water samples to find insects and larvae.
Hopefully this will be the first of many experiences with the Hooksett Memorial School 5th grade classes. We look forward to watching their QR code project expand over the coming years and seeing how their project can help to educate the public who utilize the Merrimack Riverwalk.