Five Different Field Studies in Five Days

Facilitator: A.P. Environmental Science teacher Jeannie Kornfeld

For teachers of all experience levels and backgrounds
Session II

Workshop Description

Experience a variety of field studies that serve as the backbone of Hanover High School's AP Environmental Science course. Instructor Jeannie Kornfeld will lead you through studies which can be adapted and used in any corner of the country.

LAB 1: Begin with an impact assessment of acid mine drainage from an abandoned copper mine on the water quality and biota of a river. Chemical, physical and biological measurements will be taken upstream and downstream of the acid mine drainage so that changes in the rivers ecosystem can be studied.

LAB 2: Look at the effect of different farming practices on soil health.

LAB 3: Measure the effect of fertilizers on primary productivity of two local ponds.

LAB 4: Employ a Schindler Trap to capture zooplankton in two ponds and determine how fish influence the vertical distribution and type of zooplankton present in the ponds. Measurements taken at a local bog and fen where orchids will be in bloom, will reveal how chemistry influences the flora and fauna present in these different ecosystems.

LAB 5: Finally, transects will be set up in a nearby wooded area to compare the canopy of a forest to the seedlings and saplings on the forest floor so that one can predict how the forest will change in the next 100 years.

If time permits, a field trip to a local sewage treatment plant and living machine will compare and contrast two different methods for treating human waste.

Workshop Goals

  • Develop a more applied approach to your AP Environmental Science curriculum.
  • Develop these or similar field studies for use in your own school.

Contact the Facilitator

Jeannie Kornfeld
jeannie.kornfeld@dresden.us

Apply now and receive "early admission discounts!"

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