Hands-on Learning at Centennial Lake
by Marian Zelazny

Lawrence students are helping revive Centennial Lake.

How often have you heard a child say (or have you wondered yourself), "What's the point in the stuff you learn at school?" Lawrence Middle School science teachers Dave O'Neal and Betsy Conboy, in cooperation with Rider University, and with support of a grant from the Lawrence Township Education Foundation (LTEF), have found a way to demonstrate to every student in the seventh grade how their science lessons can be applied in the real world.

In 1999 the environmental conditions in and around Centennial Lake on the campus of Rider University were less than pristine. Geese had congregated around the lake, leaving droppings, which the rain washed into the water. The nutrients from the droppings created ideal conditions for algae, which grew at such a rapid rate that it drew so much oxygen from the water that the fish in the lake could no longer survive. The sudden fish kill which resulted brought the odorous problem to everyone's attention.

Action needed to be taken, but instead of simply hiring a contractor to carry out the clean-up, the officials of Rider University, as leaders of an institution of higher learning, recognized the learning potential presented by the problem. After working with Omni Environmental Corp.'s Ron Curtis, who helped to design a workable plan to restore the lake, Dr. Kathleen Browne, heading the project for Rider, held a meeting to seek community involvement in carrying out the clean-up efforts. Several school and college groups were inspired by the plan presented and offered their assistance. The largest of these was Lawrence Middle School. In collaboration with Dr. Browne, seventh grade science teachers Dave O'Neal and Betsy Conboy arranged for the seventh graders to serve as data collectors, monitoring the progress of the clean-up, and providing detailed observations which could ultimately be used to track the project's outcome.

The work began in the spring of 2000, with seventh graders taking part in the initial restoration effort by helping to plant small shrubs and trees. With a grant of just over $5,000 from LTEF, the school purchased equipment (thermometers, oxygen meters, field guides and tape measures), and arranged to have the students taken to Rider by bus. Students learned how to take water samples and how to measure and record Ph levels and water temperatures. Rider University students, under the direction of Professor Browne, presented the seventh graders with an overview of the reconstruction of the shoreline.

Every year since then, the seventh graders have continued their role collecting the data that serves to validate the success of the project. With the equipment already in hand, the project continues with little further investment (although the School Board has generously provided funds to cover the cost of bussing students to Rider.) But the initial investment has continued to serve the students who have the opportunity to see what science is really about, and how it can be applied to improving the environment for themselves and for their community.

Lawrence students are helping revive Centennial Lake, which includes its wildlife.

The life science curriculum for the seventh grade includes the study of ecology, plant cells, microorganisms and the microscope. One of the stated goals of the course is to learn to organize scientific data into charts, graphs and other guides. All of these skills are applied in the Centennial Lake project. The learning begins in the classroom where they receive instruction from an expert from the New Jersey Audubon Society who explains the concept of a watershed, and shows how Centennial Lake fits this model. The Audubon Society expert also accompanies the class on two separate field trips to the lake which take place during regular science class. (The 80 minute periods of block scheduling help to keep the field trips within the confines of a regular class period, avoiding disruption to other lessons.)

At Centennial Lake it is the students who themselves become the scientists. Divided into groups they track the growth of foliage around the lake, they record water temperatures and measure the Ph levels, and they observe, count and record the wildlife around the lake. With several classes conducting these studies over the course of a day, their records also provide a view of the conditions at different times. Returning to the classroom with water samples from the lake, in subsequent lessons they apply their newly learned skills with the microscope as they examine the microorganisms found in the water.

Mr. O'Neal reports positive student feedback from the project. He points out that not every student is inspired by the experience to become a biologist, but every student gets to find out whether this is something that could interest them. At the same time they are also learning about community involvement, as they take part in a larger project, serving as a resource to the University and to the community at large. The extensive and detailed observations provided by the students offers in-depth insight into the conditions at the lake, and while it comes at no cost to the University or to the town, it benefits both.

Generated from the project is an ongoing record of the improving conditions at Centennial Lake. Over the course of time the algae has been greatly reduced, and the diversity of wildlife observed has increased, suggesting overall improvement in the ecology of the area. There are fewer geese, and the vegetation now serves to filter the droppings of the birds that are still present so the fish can once again live in the lake. But beyond the cleaner environment, and the practical experience of applying their science skills, the students have taken part in something and seen the impact community action can have on their surroundings.

This project is one of over 200 programs funded by the Lawrence Township Education Foundation since 1992, but it serves as a shining example of how a small investment in a creative idea can spur a greater good for the community through participation and cooperation. Clearly the project has been a great learning experience for Lawrence Township seventh graders, and for the Rider students involved, but in the end it is the residents of Lawrenceville, who again have a beautiful lake to walk around, who will reap the greatest benefits in the long term.

The Lawrence Township Education Foundation is a nonprofit organization that fosters educational excellence, creativity and achievement in the Lawrence Township Public Schools. If you are interested in lending your support to projects such as this one, please call Diane Senerth, Executive Director, at 219-0340.