A Day at Clifford Park

 

 Thursday we spend the day at Clifford Park collecting and counting crayfish for the White River Partnership. It was a wonderful morning. The sun stayed out just long enough to keep things warm and made the bed of the river easy to see. We were able to collect hundreds of crayfish! The kids were great and had a lot of fun.  We probably could have stayed for hours more. I was so impressed with their willingness to help one another and cheer each other on as they picked up the crayfish with their bare hands! 

  On Tuesday, the fourth graders will be completing their first inquiry experiment with the crayfish. They will be planning a question to ask, predicting an outcome, collecting data, and writing about their results.  This is a huge process that is in-depth and can be exhausting the first time around. I encourage parents to talk to their child about their experiences on Tuesday. I am sure that the students will have a lot to share.

 This first crayfish experiment is only preparing the fourth graders for a bigger inquiry project coming the following week. Students will be planning their own experiment based upon the data they have been collecting in their territories by the Dothan Brook.  They will plan, organize, create, and execute every last detail.