Water Exploration with 4th Grade

By Sandy Lenhert

Water, water everywhere. All for us to explore!

Fourth grade started the year diving into the magical life-giving properties of water.

To explore the water cycle and the sticky quality of water, we counted how many drops of water fit on a penny. Our highest number was 80. Then, students looked at the power of flowing water and melting glaciers that shape the Earth’s land. We researched and dramatized how water, erosion, and a meteor contributed to the creation of the beautiful Chesapeake Bay.

Because of its shallowness and brackish water, the Bay is an amazing habitat for many creatures, above and below the water. Students toured the Patapsco River on the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Snow Goose oyster dredger, where they witnessed a deadly algae bloom and fish kill. Students were tasked with testing water quality throughout the trip. Their data was forwarded to Blue Water Baltimore to track the algae bloom. It was an amazing hands-on learning experience.

To learn more about the bay and its creatures, each student chose a Chesapeake Bay critter to research. They studied Georgia O’Keefe to create their own artistic interpretations of their animal. They also created scientific drawings of the habitat, diet, and life cycle of their animals. We also explored Maryland’s geography through satellite images, salt dough maps, and a hike on the Appalachian Trail to Washington State Monument.