Biology Students Get Studying Experience “In the Field”

OXFORD –  In an effort to better understand the ecosystem where we live, Sophomore Biology Students conducted water tests in Lick Run, a stream running Northeast to Southwest on the THS property on Sept. 8 and 9, 2016.

Students were paired in groups and tested the water for dissolved oxygen, pH level, turbidity, and water velocity.

They also examined the life around the stream, including aquatic vegetation, small freshwater animals, and rocks around the water.

In addition to the tests in and near the stream, students took water samples back to the classroom for additional observations. This week, students are using the water to conduct tests on the amount of silt in the water, and how eroded the stream was during testing.

They are also examining the samples under microscopes, looking for different microorganisms and freshwater animals.

Despite getting wet and muddy while around the creek, most students enjoyed the free time to get out of the classroom.

“It was fun to get out of the school and get into the creek,” Sophomore Connor Woodin said, who’s class did the test on Friday of last week.  “We had a great time learning about the water where we live.”

Lick Run, the creek studied, begins just off of Stillwell Beckett Road in Oxford Township. It crosses Booth Road onto the THS property, where it moves under US Highway 27, eventually making it’s way into Four Mile Creek a few miles East of the Level 27 apartments.

Biology teachers Alison Dowd and Adrianne Ruther conducted the tests with their respective classes.