Stream Team in Action!

By Lori Altenbaumer, 7th/8th Math & Science

Our 7th grade Stream Team took their learning beyond the classroom this week with a hands-on field study at Bobby Ferguson Park (Lake Dieffenbacher). As part of our ongoing partnership with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, students collected and analyzed water samples to assess the lake’s overall health.

Using real-world scientific techniques, students tested for pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, nitrates, and the presence of macroinvertebrates—tiny aquatic organisms that help indicate water quality. Each group recorded and shared their findings, contributing valuable data to the state’s efforts to monitor and conserve Arkansas’s waterways.

This fieldwork beautifully tied into our current unit on Human Impact on Watersheds, allowing students to see firsthand how pollution, runoff, and land use can affect aquatic ecosystems. Through this experience, our young scientists gained a deeper appreciation for the importance of conservation and the vital role we all play in protecting our streams and lakes for future generations.

It was a rewarding day of science, teamwork, and stewardship—another great example of how hands-on learning helps students connect classroom concepts to the real world!