Shoreham-Wading River students test Peconic Estuary waters as scientists for ‘Day in the Life’ program
Shoreham-Wading River High School science research students got to take a crack at being field scientists.
The students traveled to Indian Island County Park in Riverhead on Oct. 23 to take part in “A Day in the Life,” a citizen science program run by the Central Pine Barrens Commission.
Students worked on the Peconic Estuary, joining teams from other schools to collect data across the region. They measured physical conditions such as tides and currents, collected sediment samples, tested the water for temperature, salinity and other chemical factors, and donned waders and life jackets to pull a seine net through the water and identify the fish and other organisms living there.
Several returning students who had taken part in past years even served as mentors, guiding first-time participants through the sampling methods and equipment.
The data gathered adds to a long-term record of the health of the local waterways and gives high school students hands-on experience doing real science outside the classroom.
Photos courtesy of Shoreham-Wading River School District
