Seventh graders from Miller Place School District’s North Country Road Middle School recently explored Cedar Beach and Satterly’s Landing in Mount Sinai as part of the District’s seventh grade ecology curriculum. The exploration helped the students gain a deeper understanding of the ecological scientific concepts they were studying beyond what they could learn solely from a classroom study.
Students participated in interdisciplinary activities with members of the Long Island Sound Study, Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Town of Brookhaven to learn about the habitats of several species of marine life located in Mount Sinai Harbor salt marshes. The seventh graders took a hands-on approach to learning by conducting field testing. They used water monitoring equipment to test the local water for various factors, such as dissolved oxygen, pH levels, phosphates, nitrates, salinity, and turbidity. Back in the classroom, students analyzed the data they collected to assess the health of the Mount Sinai Harbor ecosystem and discussed its importance for the Long Island Sound.
For more information about the Miller Place School District, please visit the District’s website at www.millerplace.k12.ny.us.
