A Rochester elementary classroom was transported to a boat on the Genesee River on Friday.
Fifth graders at Roberto Clemente School 8 learned about the wildlife and environment of the river that flows through the center of the city. For some, it was their first time on a boat.
WXXI’s Education reporter Noelle Evans joined them on their field trip Friday where they took scientific measurements and witnessed animals like osprey, blue heron, and bugs with the help of college students.
According to the school district, they are among more than 1,500 students who have taken science class on a boat this school year.
That amounts to about 70 such field trips exploring the Genesee River and Erie Canal with the Corn Hill Waterfront & Navigation Foundation, an opportunity funded by Rochester Education Foundation’s Smile Program.
Below is a transcript of the radio broadcast story.
TY TEELIN: Hi, I'm Ty Teelin. I go to St. John Fisher University. I'm going to be a senior next year. I study sustainability and I have a minor in global health.
(water splashing in a bucket)
TEELIN: Right now, they are scooping water into buckets for tests later on the boat. We do a total of six tests on the boat. We do some physical and we do some chemical tests. So that’s what they’re doing.
(water splashes)
TEELIN: (to a student) Use your muscles!
(Student yells, adult cheers)
TEELIN: There it is! Perfect.
(squeal of boat engine, water flow)
TEELIN: So what we're gonna be doing next is measuring the temperature of the water. Who wants to throw this overboard? Her hand was up first guys, I'm sorry, I don't make the rules here.
(sound of boat moving along water)
You guys are going to read this, so we're going to see a blue line and we're going to match the blue line to the number on the left-hand side. 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Did you guys expect it to be that warm?
STUDENTS: No.
THOMAS GENERAL: My name is Thomas and we're looking at what was the temperature of the water, and how far we can see in the water.
EVANS: How far can we see in the water?
GENERAL: Nothing.
EVANS: Nothing?
GENERAL: Yeah, only if you go inside it.
EVANS: Nothing?
TEELIN: You can’t see anything?
GENERAL: No I don’t see nothing.
TEELIN: A lot of the animals here live because they are able to hide. So maybe that’s why you can’t see anything.
EVANS: Thomas, why do you think it matters how warm the -- like what the temperature is of the water?
GENERAL: For the animals. How the animals live.
ILMIYO HUSSEIN: Hi, my name is Ilmiyo Hussein, I'm in fifth grade. We're looking at fish from in the river. It’s cool but it's really hard to get the fish. The first animal that we found is the water boatman. That's the only one we've found so far.
EVANS: Is that the one fish we're talking about right there?
ALL: Yeah.
EVANS: Looks like it’s just looking around at everybody.
STUDENTS: It’s dying!
CARTER REMY: My name is Carter Remy. I am the owner of The Next Generation And You. Right now we are exploring what the day of the life in the Genesee River is like. The river tells us a different story every day, depending on if it rains or not, depending on how much light gets in the water and all of that. This is an awesome opportunity for youth to explore themselves, to explore the world around them, and to also learn how to be stewards of their community. So this is super important. A lot of students don't have the opportunity to be on the water, and so this is a way to expose them to this world, to this environmental world.
TEACHER: Oh look a heron!
STEPHANIE THOMPSON: My name is Stephanie Thompson. I'm the proud principal at Roberto Clemente school number eight in the city school district. They look like they're having a great time. So, it's wonderful.
EVANS: I feel like people take that for granted, kids having fun. Like that accessibility to joy.
THOMPSON: And kids being kids. I mean, a lot of our kids have siblings, and sometimes when they go home, they're caretakers or taking care of the house or providing for their family. So this is their time to be a kid. So just providing the spaces for them to be children.
(boat horn honks)
STUDENT: Yay!
(laughter)
THOMPSON: They’re all getting to drive the boat. It's wonderful.
(sound of boat moving along water)
