Spencer Reames has been teaching science for some 50 years and knows that getting students out of the classroom can be the best way for them to learn.

That’s why teens in his classes at Benjamin Logan High School spent several afternoons last fall ankle deep in ripple areas of the Mad River, the largest cold-water stream in Ohio, which runs 66 miles from Bellefontaine (where the Benjamin Logan school district is located) south to Dayton. 

One of the river’s distinctive qualities, Mr. Reames explains, is its ability to support several varieties of trout. He and his science colleagues wanted students in the district to gain an appreciation for that uniqueness and planned a yearlong PBL initiative with that in mind. Through a variety of activities that took place both in and out of the classroom, students at all grade levels (K-12) investigated how the Mad River aquatic system operates and how it can be impacted by invasive species, human activity, and natural events. The overarching goal was for students to study environmental education in a real world context and, more specifically, to formulate ideas as to how to ensure that trout can have a home in the river for generations to come.

Examples of that work involved establishing classroom aquariums for the rearing of rainbow trout and maintaining other Mad River fish and invertebrates; analyzing and removing invasive species along the riverbed; and the planting of native hardwood trees on school grounds, in a nearby park, and along the riverbank. Students had opportunities to interact with local land owners regarding these projects and to present their findings to groups in the community.

Collecting, Identifying, and Testing

To assess the health of the waterway, students in Mr. Reames’ Aquatic Ecosytems and Environmental Science classes waded through ripple areas both upstream and downstream at various river sites to collect, and then identify, samples of the organisms living in the water. These included fish, algae, and macro invertebrates. They also tested water samples for nitrates, nitrites, ammonia and ph levels.  A grant from the Jennings Foundation allowed them to purchase professional grade nets and testing materials necessary to make this possible.

“This equipment allows us to do a much better job - to see things we may not have otherwise,” says Mr. Reames, explaining that the professional grade nets, for instance, can capture more organisms because the holes are much smaller than those in nets typically used by students.

Mr. Reames is confident his students are learning more deeply because of these activities. “The more work they do, at some point they have to start thinking about all the interactions that take place in the environment,” he says.  “That’s where you get to the deeper learning – where they really start to think about interactions and why conditions are what they are.”

Connecting to the Environment

Despite growing up in a rural area, Mr. Reames says students in the district are not connected to nature as prior generations were. Due to this project, many were involved with the environment in an in depth way for the very first time. He believes they came away with a new attitude and appreciation for the natural environment around them.

“You have to give kids opportunities to interact with the environment and get hands-on and actually see things for themselves.”

“This experience gives them the opportunity to get out and interact with the environment,” he says. “Sometimes they play around a little bit in the river, but that’s okay because I think in that process they are learning.

“You have to give kids opportunities to interact with the environment and get hands-on and actually see things for themselves. It’s the fieldwork that makes it meaningful - that experience of actually being involved that really touches these kids. That’s what they need to make connections so that the learning has lasting impact. I don’t think computer simulations or seeing pictures on the computer have nearly the same impact as actually working with these specimens.”