 More than 60 blue plastic swimming pools are part of the Bales landscape along with a tall mound of soil usually surrounded by sixth graders. The science classroom project is under the direction of Bales teacher Tierni Sager.
“We are so pleased to be working closely with the Galveston Bay Foundation. This is a hands on science classroom where students are part of the project, using science to do something great for the environment,” Sager said.
The students are harvesting smooth cordgrass from an existing wetlands nursery in Baytown, cultivating the stems in shallow, plastic pools where they will lie dormant until January through April. At that time the small plant will become 5-10 shoots of transplantable grass.
Students carefully monitor and maintain the salinity and pH of the water in their marsh nurseries from the initial planting until May. The nursery will be checked every three days for water conditions and health of the plants.
“I didn’t know what solubility was or how to use the instruments to check salinity until we started this project,” sixth grader Maggie Roher said. “This has been fun and a project that will benefit our bay.”
In May, the students and parent volunteers will take the 2400+ plants to an area of marshland in Anahuac that was destroyed by Hurricane Ike.
 Galveston Bay Foundation member Della Barbato is working with the Bales students and Sager. Barbato is the manager of Education Programs for the Foundation.
“Our goals with this program include providing a sequence of experiences and activities to introduce students to Galveston Bay and its ecosystems, conveying lessons about the importance of marsh habitat and restoration, and promoting critical thinking and student-directed learning, relating students’ every day actions to impacts on the Bay,” Barbato said.
The program also imparts a sense of ownership and responsibility as students cultivate marsh grass, provides hands on lessons in saltwater chemistry and empowers students to value Galveston Bay and act to protect and preserve it.
The mission of the Galveston Bay Foundation is to preserve, protect and enhance the natural resources of the Galveston Bay estuarine system and its tributaries for present users and for posterity.
“I think this is an important project for us to be involved in,” sixth grader Pahno Georgeton said. “I like seeing and using the Galveston Bay and I want to continue to be able to have it for me and for my future generations. This will help the Bay continue to be there for us.” |
