Jemicy Loves the Chesapeake Bay...

This field trip checked all the boxes; experiential learning, multisensory education, growth mindset,  environmental consciousness, and passion. At Jemicy, these are more than just buzzwords. Nowhere is this more evident than in our recent excursion to volunteer on the oyster restoration project. 

Like many Jemicy teachers, Nate Wallis brings his passion to the curriculum he is teaching. As a frequent volunteer for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), Nate shares,  “A lot of people have a negative view of the Inner Harbor and its water quality. I am of the opinion that things have drastically improved since I was a kid. Seeing all of these animals thriving helps others see that the water is improving and is teaming with life. Plus, it’s fun to help others while students learn about our local ecosystem.” 

One adult oyster can clean around 50 gallons of water daily. There are 60,000 baby oysters at the location the students visited in October. Oysters provide habitat for a diverse spectrum of animals. I Group found close to 50 mud crabs, 20 grass shrimp, two species of jellyfish, bristle worms, and at least two species of fish in less than an hour!

 

While learning about biodiversity, our students got their hands dirty by cleaning oyster cages. The cages protect the babies from some of their biggest predators from fall until spring; however, they are prone to algae growth. When spring comes and the babies have grown, CBF takes the oysters to their permanent location, an oyster sanctuary. Here they can live the rest of their life acting as nature’s best filter and helping us improve the water quality of the bay.

 

Several students brought their magnet fishing gear to search for ferrous artifacts. The group also learned how to crab with a hand line. No crabs were caught, but they had fun getting soooooo close! A trip to the snow cone stand rounded off a perfect day of experiential, multisensory, environmentally conscious, passionate learning! It’s good to know that Jemicy puts their words into action in and out of the classroom.