Two Rivers High School students took their learning beyond the classroom this summer during the Marine Ecology class trip to Key Largo, Florida.
The trip gave students the opportunity to experience marine ecosystems firsthand while learning about different species, habitats, and environmental issues.
Before traveling to Florida, students spent a week at TRHS learning about general ecology and the ecosystems found in southern Florida.
Once they arrived in Key Largo, they were able to use what they learned through field trips, labs, discussions, and snorkeling.
Students explored four main marine environments: the Everglades, seagrass areas, mangroves, and coral reefs.
During the trip, students encountered many different types of marine life.
They swam with a manatee, saw turtles, found nurse and bonnethead sharks, and identified several species of fish.
Students also learned about threats facing coral reefs and how scientists work to protect these important ecosystems.
The class also participated in citizen science projects that allowed students to contribute to real scientific research.
These activities included fish and seagrass surveys, measuring invertebrate diversity, collecting water-quality data, and measuring microplastics.
TRHS student Jonathan Chewning said the experience made learning more enjoyable.
“I’ve never seen a class full of students so engaged as I have at Marine Lab, and I have never enjoyed learning as much as I had at Marine Lab,” Chewning said.
The Marine Ecology class combines classroom learning with hands-on experiences that students may remember long after the trip is over.
By seeing marine ecosystems up close, students were able to better understand the topics they had studied and see how their knowledge can be applied in the real world.
