Making Connections for Kids
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I’ve been working with a small group of 4th graders as they work on creating a video to share their concerns regarding winter shipping on the St. Lawrence River. After learning about the Slick of 76, they have concerns that shipping in the winter may increase the chance of an accident which could cause fuel oil to spill into the river. They are assisting the Save the River organization by urging Seaway officials to follow criteria recommended by the NYS DEC before the opening date is set in the spring.
As part of their research, students gathered information about the effect on the environment from spills. Mr. Dehm, a grandfather of one of the students who owns property in the Thousand Islands, came to Klem South to share information about the actual spill in 1976. This past summer he was replacing some boards on his dock and discovered oil still coating the underside from the spill more than 30 years ago. He happened to save a few of the boards and brought them in for the kids to see. He also shared old photographs he had taken of the clean-up effort as well as recent pictures taken this fall where oil is still present on some of the rocks. Mr. Dehm also shared a navigation map and talked about the changing water levels in the river. After this visit, students were even more convinced that action needs to be taken to protect the water, shoreline, and wildlife. They also had new questions that they needed to find answers to.
The next person the students were able to talk with via iChat was Todd Woody, a senior editor for Fortune Magazine and author of the Green Wombat blog. Not only did students gather information about the spill in San Francisco Bay, but they also worked on their communication skills in a real-world context. Todd provided insight into the environmental impact of the spill, the nature of his job as an editor and writer, his interest in the endangered wombat, and concerns about global warming.
Students also sent an email to the NYS DEC requesting specific information regarding winter shipping. As a result, they were able to talk, via speakerphone, with Rodger Klindt, a fisheries biologist who works on the St Lawrence River and is familiar with the seaway issues. Students’ ideas about the possibility of ice increasing the chance of an accident were confirmed and they also discovered new information about the changing water levels throughout the season. In the winter the water levels are generally lower. A lower water level results in swifter river currents. Add ice, lower water, and swifter currents to the mix and navigation can become tricky. A slight mistake can cause an accident. This valuable information to use in their video was recorded on a laptop using Audacity.
Through these connections, both in person and remotely, students were able to learn from others outside of our classroom and local community. Next it is their turn to share their work with a wider audience. Check back in a few weeks for the finished video.
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