Ralph Klein Park Field Study
When we arrived, the sky was dark and overcast, with a light drizzle.
After a tour of the building, our guide took us outside so to see the wetlands more clearly. We learned that the Bald Eagle’s call is a series of hoarse chirps instead of the piercing scream of the Red Tailed Hawk.
We also learned that when oil, litter, bacteria, pesticides or fertilizer, and salt get in the water it becomes dirty. By cleaning up after our pets, making sure that our car isn’t leaking, using less fertilizer, and not littering, we can keep the water a lot cleaner so the wetlands don’t have to work as much.
By afternoon, the rain cloud had blown away and the sky cleared out. We followed another guide to the wetlands so we could investigate insects and bugs in the water.
My group found four Damselfly nymphs, a caddisfly larva, two water boatmen, several side swimmers and a water mite. We found a lot of insects by masses of water plants. I sketched some of them.
By home time, the sky almost completely cleared. We enjoyed our field study in Ralph Klein Park and learned a lot more about wetlands!
Jessica X, Grade 4 student, Hillhurst School. Likes drawing, reading, and creative activities. Especially good at Science and Math.